- What Prospective Greene School Board Members Should Know
The following link has information from the New York State School Boards Association (NYSSBA). The article includes responsibilities and characteristics of a board member as well as information on eligibility requirements, nominating petitions, campaigning, training, and more. For information click here: Running for the School Board - NYSSBA 2024
What is Involved?
Eligibility Requirements:
According to Education Law, a Board of Education member of the Greene Central School District must meet the following qualifications:
- Must be able to read and write (§ 2102).
- Must be a qualified voter of the district; that is, a citizen of the United States, at least 18 years of age or older, and not adjudged to be an incompetent (§§ 2102, 2012, 2502(7); Elec. Law § 5-106(6)).
- Must be and have been a resident (but need not be a taxpayer) of the district for a continuous and uninterrupted period of at least one (1) year immediately before the election (§§ 2102, 2502(7), (9)(d)).
- May not have been removed from any school district office within the preceding year (§ 2103(2)).
- May not reside with another member of the same school board as a member of the same family (§ 2103(3)). (That is, the only Greene CSD board member in a household.)
- May not be a current employee of the school board (§ 2103(4)). (That is, an employee of Greene CSD.)
- May not simultaneously hold another incompatible public office.
G.C.S. Seats to be Voted On:
This year three (3) seats on the Greene Central School District Board of Education will be up for election on Tuesday, May 21, 2024.
There are two (2) expiring board seats that are currently held by Natalie McMahon and Brian Milk; their terms will expire on June 30, 2024. The two (2) people with the highest number of votes at the May 21, 2024 election will fill the two (2) expiring seats, which are for three-year terms, beginning July 1, 2024, and ending June 30, 2027.
Additionally, there is one (1) vacancy due to the resignation of Board Member Seth Barrows. The person with the third highest votes at the May 21, 2024 election will fill the shorter vacancy, taking office immediately after the election (May 22, 2024) and serving for the remainder of the unexpired term, which is June 30, 2025.
Responsibilities of a G.C.S. Board Member:
Throughout the academic year (July 1st through June 30th) members attend Regular Meetings that are held roughly every three weeks. They also attend Public Hearings as well as any Special Meetings that might occur. Members also sit on Board of Education Committees, such as Audit, Budget, Building & Grounds, Curriculum & Technology, Policy, and Transportation. Trustees are assigned to the Broome-Tioga-Delaware (BTD) Health Insurance Consortium and Workers’ Compensation Self-Insurance Alliance; a co-trustee is appointed to the Jane I. Schenck Fund. There are also representatives assigned to the GCS Sick Bank Committees and the Chenango County School Boards Association (CCSBA). During their tenure period optional trainings are available throughout the year to all board members. (See paragraph below for required training.)
Mandatory Training:
Once elected, board members are required by New York State law to fulfill mandatory training within their first year of service, including fiscal oversight training and governance skills training. NYSSBA provides online courses and regional academies to fulfill these requirements. Delaware-Chenango-Madison-Otsego Board of Cooperative Education Services (DCMO BOCES) also offers this training.
What is the Process?
Nominating Petitions:
Petition packets for Board of Education candidates can be picked up, or requested, by contacting the District Clerk, Shiela Walker, at the District Office, located at 40 South Canal Street. Except for Friday, March 29th, and Monday, April 8th, Mrs. Walker can be reached by emailing [email protected], noting "Candidate Packet" in the subject line, or calling (607) 656-4161 (ext. 3811 or Option 6 for the District Office) between 7:30 a.m. and 3:00 p.m. Monday through Friday. Petitions for Nomination and all other documents can also be found at the end of this article.
Petitions for Nomination must be signed by at least twenty-five (25) qualified district voters and filed in the office of the Greene Central School District Clerk, Shiela Walker, no later than thirty (30) days before the annual or special district meeting at which the school board election will occur, the deadline being 5:00 p.m. on the date noted below. (If the deadline for filing nominating petitions falls on a Saturday, Sunday or public holiday, the filing may be performed on the next succeeding business day.)
The feedback provided on the Candidate Information Sheet and Candidate Statement is used to help the public know, prior to the election, basic information about the candidate(s) running for the Board of Education. We strongly recommend that candidates submit this information as it will be used on our website, social media, and/or for Meet the Candidates Night. The information provided will appear unedited and has the same submission deadline as the petition.
State law requires all candidates for election to a board of education to file Expenditure Statements with the District Clerk, disclosing their campaign expenses. Three Expenditure Statements are filed at three different times; these deadlines are listed on the individual forms. As explained in the instructions, if expenses and/or donations exceed five hundred dollars ($500), an itemized statement must be included and filed with the District Clerk as well as the NYS Commissioner of Education. Expenditures of not more than twenty-five dollars ($25) may be made without a candidate’s permission as long as the donor(s) file a sworn statement with the District Clerk and the Commissioner of Education stating that the candidate did not approve the expenditure.
Important Dates:
April 19, 2024 – The first Expenditure Statement is due by this day.
April 22, 2024 – Petition for Nomination forms must be filed by 5:00 p.m. (The deadline for the Candidate Information Sheet and Candidate Statement are the same as the petition.) These documents should be handed in at the District Office.
May 13, 2024 – G.C.S. Public Budget Hearing – 6:00 p.m. in the Auditorium
May 14, 2024 – Meet the Candidates Night – 7:00 p.m. in the Auditorium
May 16, 2024 – The second Expenditure Statement is due by this day.
May 21, 2024 – Annual Budget Vote & Board of Education Member Election
TBA -- Budget Vote & BOE Member Election Results Announced
May 29, 2024 – Regular Board Meeting. Candidate filling the shorter vacancy (with third highest votes) will be sworn in.
June 10, 2024 – The third Expenditure Statement is due by this day.
July 9, 2024 – Annual Reorganizational Meeting -- 5:00 p.m. in the BOE Conference Room. Candidates filling the two expired seats will be sworn in.
Questions from interested candidates may be directed to Shiela Walker, Greene Central School District Clerk, at [email protected] or (607) 656-4161, extension 3811 (or Option 6 for the District Office).Date last revised: 04/17/24 (5/14/24 MTC Night info & 7/9/24 Reorg Mtg info added to Important Dates)