• RESOLUTION CALLING THE 2024 

    ANNUAL DISTRICT MEETING AND ELECTION

    OF THE BEDFORD CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT

     AND AUTHORIZING RELATED MATTERS

     

    BE IT RESOLVED by the Board of Education (the “Board”) of the Bedford Central School District, Westchester County, New York (the “District”) as follows:

    Section 1. That a public hearing of the qualified voters of the District for the purpose of reviewing the proposed budget and for the transaction of such business as authorized by the Education Laws of the State of New York shall be held on Wednesday, May 8, 2024, commencing at 7:00 p.m. on Fox Lane Campus, Fox Lane Middle School, 632 South Bedford Road, Bedford, New York.

    Section 2. That voting on: (I) the 2024-2025 annual school district budget, which will appear on the ballot as Proposition No. 1; (II) the election of two (2) trustees to the Board of Education; and (III) such other business as is authorized by law, will take place at the Annual District Meeting and Election on Tuesday, May 21, 2024, within the District’s five (5) election districts, at the designated polling places therein, between the hours of 7:00 a.m. and 9:00 p.m., prevailing time, and that such voting shall be by voting machine.

    Section 3. That except as hereinafter provided, the official Notice of the aforesaid public hearing and Annual District Meeting and Election shall be in the following form:

     

    PUBLIC NOTICE

    BEDFORD CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT

    IN THE COUNTY OF WESTCHESTER, STATE OF NEW YORK

    NOTICE OF THE ANNUAL SCHOOL DISTRICT MEETING 

    AND ELECTION, MAY 21, 2024

     

    NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN THAT THE BEDFORD CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT will hold its Annual School District Meeting and Election (hereinafter “Annual District Meeting”) on Tuesday, May 21, 2024, between the hours of 7:00 a.m. and 9:00 p.m., by voting machine, for the purpose of voting: 

     

    1. On a PROPOSITION to appropriate the necessary funds to meet the estimated expenditures for the 2024-2025 school year (the Budget);
    2. For the election of two (2) BOARD TRUSTEES, each for a full term of three (3) years commencing July 1, 2024 and expiring June 30, 2027; and
    3. For any other PROPOSITIONS legally coming before the voters.

     

    NOTICE IS FURTHER GIVEN THAT a copy of the statement of the amount of money which will be required for the ensuing year for school purposes, specifying the several purposes and amount for each, plus an Exemption Report showing how much of the total assessed value on the final assessment roll(s) used in the budgetary process is exempt from taxation, which will be annexed to the proposed budget along with the additional appendages required by law, together with a copy of any proposition to be presented at said Annual District Meeting, may be obtained, upon request, by any resident in said District, during the fourteen (14) days immediately preceding the Annual District Meeting, except Saturday, Sunday, or a holiday, at Bedford Central School District, on the District’s internet website at, www.bcsdny.org, and at each of the following locations during the hours designated:

     

    • Board of Education Office, Administration Building, Fox Lane Campus, Bedford, from 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.
    • Bedford Hills Elementary School, Bedford Hills, from 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.
    • Bedford Village Elementary School, Bedford, from 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.
    • Mount Kisco Elementary School, Mount Kisco, from 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.
    • Pound Ridge Elementary School, Pound Ridge, from 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.
    • West Patent Elementary School, Bedford Hills, from 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.

     

    NOTICE IS ALSO GIVEN THAT a public hearing for the purpose of reviewing the proposed budget and for the transaction of such business as authorized by the Education Laws of the State of New York shall be held on Wednesday, May 8, 2024, commencing at 7:00 p.m. on Fox Lane Campus, Fox Lane Middle School, 632 South Bedford Road, Bedford, New York.

     

    NOTICE IS ALSO GIVEN THAT petitions nominating candidates for the office of Member of the Board of Education must be received by the Clerk of the District, Administration Building, Fox Lane Campus, Route 172, Bedford, New York, not later than 5 pm on Monday, April 22, 2024. Each petition must be directed to the Clerk of the School District; must be signed by two percent of the 2, 584 voters (52 signatures) who voted in the 2023 annual election; must state the name and residence address of the candidate and the residence address of each signer; and must be filed in the Office of the District Clerk in the Administration Building, Fox Lane Campus, Route 172, Bedford, New York, by no later than 5pm on Monday, April 22, 2024.  Pursuant to a ballot proposition adopted by the District’s voters, vacancies on the Board of Education are no longer considered separate specific offices. Instead, all Board candidates now run at-large (i.e., compete for all available vacancies on the Board). Nominating Petition forms may be obtained from the District Clerk.     

     

    NOTICE IS ALSO GIVEN THAT personal registration of voters is required. No person shall be entitled to vote at the Annual District Meeting whose name does not appear on the Register of voters. A “qualified voter” is any person who is a citizen of the United States, at least 18 years of age, and a resident of the District for at least 30 days immediately preceding May 21, 2024. Any qualified voter who previously has registered with the District and who has voted at any annual or special District election within the last four calendar years and/or any qualified voter of the District who is registered with the Westchester County Board of Elections pursuant to Article 5 of the NY Election Law, is eligible to vote at the Annual District Meeting on May 21, 2024. All other qualified voters who wish to vote in this election must register beforehand with the District, or with the County Board of Elections.

     

    NOTICE IS ALSO GIVEN THA, pursuant to a rule adopted by the Board of Education in accordance with Sections 2035 and 2008 of the Education Law of the State of New York, any referenda or propositions to amend the budget or otherwise to be submitted for voting at such election, that are not required by law to be included in the legal notice for the vote,  must be filed with the Board of Education at the Administration Building, Fox Lane Campus, 632 South Bedford Road, Bedford, New York,  on or before April 22, 2024 by 5:00 p.m. (prevailing time), must be typed or printed in the English language, must be directed to the Office of Clerk of the District, must be signed by at least 105 qualified voters of the District; and must state the name of each signer.  Any proposition may be rejected by the Board of Education if the purpose of the proposition is not within the power of the voters, or where the expenditure of the monies is required by the proposition, if the proposition fails to include the necessary specific appropriation.

     

    NOTICE IS ALSO GIVEN THAT voter registration for the District is ongoing until Thursday, May 16, 2024, in each of the schools of the District during school hours, for the purpose of preparing a Register of the qualified voters of the District for said Annual District Meeting, at which time any person shall be entitled to have their name placed upon such Register by the District’s Board of Registration, provided that they are known or proven to the satisfaction of such Board of Registration to be entitled to vote at said Annual District Meeting for which such Register is prepared.

    NOTICE IS ALSO GIVEN THAT the voter registration books (the “Register”) for each of the said five (5) Election Districts shall be open for inspection by any qualified voter, at the Office of the District Clerk in the Board of Education Office, Administration Building, Fox Lane Campus, Bedford, New York during regular office hours on each of the five (5) days prior to Tuesday, May 21, 2024, excluding Saturday, May 18, 2024 (except by appointment) and Sunday, May 19, 2024.

     

    NOTICE IS ALSO GIVEN THAT said School District has been divided into Election Districts, which are designated as being those with borders coterminous with the attendance zones for the five (5) elementary attendance areas as follows:

     

    Election District No. 1 – Mount Kisco Elementary School Attendance Area

    Election District No. 2 – Bedford Hills Elementary School Attendance Area

    Election District No. 3 – Pound Ridge Elementary School Attendance Area

    Election District No. 4 – West Patent Elementary School Attendance Area

    Election District No. 5 – Bedford Village Elementary School Attendance Area

     

    Qualified voters of Election District No. 1 shall vote in the gymnasium of the Mount Kisco Elementary School; qualified voters of Election District No. 2 shall vote in the cafeteria of the Bedford Hills Elementary School; qualified voters of Election District No. 3 shall vote in the library of the Pound Ridge Elementary School; qualified voters of Election District No. 4 shall vote in the gymnasium of the West Patent Elementary School; and qualified voters of Election District No. 5 shall vote in the gymnasium of the Bedford Village Elementary School.   

     

    NOTICE IS FURTHER GIVEN THAT applications for early mail ballots and absentee ballots will be available at the Office of the District Clerk, Administration Building, 632 South Bedford Road, Bedford, New York for eligible residents on and after Monday, April 22, 2024 between the hours of 9:00 o’clock A.M. and 3:00 o’clock P.M. (Prevailing Time), Monday through Friday, except holidays.  In accordance with Education Law Section 2018-a and Section 2018-e, such completed application for absentee ballot or early mail ballot must be received by the District Clerk at least seven days before said Annual District Meeting if the ballot is to be mailed to the voter, or the day before said Annual District Meeting, if the ballot is to be delivered personally to the voter or the voter’s authorized agent(s) set forth in the early mail voter ballot application or absentee ballot application at the District Clerk’s Office.  Absentee ballots and early mail ballots must be received by the District Clerk not later than 5:00 o’clock P.M., (Prevailing Time), on Tuesday, May 21, 2024.

     

    NOTICE IS FURTHER GIVEN THAT a list of persons to whom early mail ballots are issued and a list of persons to whom absentee ballots are issued will be available for inspection to qualified voters of the District in the office of the District Clerk on and after Monday, April 22, 2024 between the hours of 9:00 o’clock A.M. and 3:00 o’clock P.M. (Prevailing Time) on weekdays prior to the day set for said Annual District Meeting and on May 21, 2024.  Any qualified voter may, upon examination of such lists, file a written challenge of the qualifications as a voter of any person whose name appears on such lists, stating the reasons for such challenge.  Any such written challenge shall be transmitted by the District Clerk or a designee of the Board of Education to the inspectors of election at the election districts on the date set for said Annual District Meeting.  A challenge to an absentee ballot may not be made on the basis that the voter should have applied for an early mail ballot and a challenge to an early mail ballot may not be made on the basis that the voter should have applied for an absentee ballot.

     

    NOTICE IS ALSO GIVEN THAT Military Voters who are not currently registered to vote may apply to register as a qualified voter of the District by contacting the District Clerk at the Office of the District Clerk in the Administration Building, Fox Lane Campus, Route 172, Bedford, New York, by telephone 914-241-6011, or email: sspeyer3549@bcsdny.org to receive an application to register as a qualified voter of the District for the Annual District Meeting on May 21, 2024. The Military Voter may indicate their preference for receiving the registration application by mail, by facsimile, or electronic mail (email). The application to register must be received by the District Clerk no later than 5:00 P.M. on April 25, 2024. The register of voters prepared and filed in the District Clerk's office shall include the names of all military voters who submit a valid military voter registration. A military voter means a qualified voter of New York State who is in actual military service and will, therefore, be absent from the District in which they are qualified to vote on the day of registration or election or is discharged from military service within 30 days of an election or a spouse, parent, child or dependent of the military voter if a qualified voter of New York State and a resident of the same school district as the military voter, or military personnel residing on a military base within a school district in New York State for a period of 30 days immediately preceding the election.

     

    Military Voters who are qualified voters of the District may obtain an application for a military ballot by contacting the District Clerk at the Office of the District Clerk in the Administration Building, Fox Lane Campus, 632 South Bedford Road, Bedford, New York, by telephone 914-241-6011, or email: sspeyer3549@bcsdny.org. The Military Voter may indicate their preference for receiving the military ballot application by mail, by facsimile, or email. The application for a military ballot must be received by the District Clerk by no later than 5:00 P.M. on April 25, 2024 The Military Voter may also indicate their preference for receiving the military ballot by mail, by facsimile, or email. Military ballots will be mailed or otherwise distributed no later than 25 days before the election. Military ballots must be received by the District Clerk (1) before the close of the polls on election day and showing a cancellation mark of the U.S. postal service or a foreign country's postal service, or showing a dated endorsement of receipt by another agency of the U.S. government or (2) by 5:00 P.M. on election day and signed and dated by the military voter and one witness thereof, with a date which is ascertained to be not later than the day before the election. A list of all persons to whom military ballots shall have been issued will be available for inspection to qualified voters of the District in the said Office of the District Clerk during regular office hours, 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., prevailing time, until the day of the Annual District Meeting.  Any qualified voter may, upon examination of such list, file a written challenge of the qualifications as a voter of any person whose name appears on such stating the reason for such challenge.

     

     

    BY ORDER OF THE BOARD OF EDUCATION OF THE BEDFORD CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT, COUNTY OF WESTCHESTER, STATE OF NEW YORK

     

    Sandra Speyer, District Clerk

    Dated:  March 15, 2024