Guest Editorial by Christina Bourgeois and Hudi Podolsky

Communicating with the Public is a Duty for All Public Entities

In mid-November, as required by law, the Cooperstown Central School District posted notices in “The Daily Star” about an upcoming vote on December 16, 2025, for a proposed $16 million capital improvement project. The League of Women Voters of the Cooperstown Area neither supports nor opposes this project.

We are concerned, however, that the Cooperstown Central School District has done little other than this required public notice to publicize the project and the date, time, and place of the vote or to encourage members of the public to have their voices heard by voting.

The following note was included in the minutes from the November 7 meeting of the Facilities and Finance Committee regarding the Project:

“Following BOE approval of the Proposed Capital Project at the October meeting, we discussed preparations and process for the public vote on December 16, 2025. Descriptive materials including posters in the Jr./Sr. High School hallway, and upcoming posts on the website will provide the public with detailed information on what is included in the Capital Project. We also discussed the need for a public forum in advance of the vote. This has been done in the past, but with very poor (1-2 attendees) turnout. Sarah will be consulting with the CFA and PTA on whether they believe we should do this again.”

Indeed, there are posters in the school that explain the project and note the date, time, and place of the vote; however, members of the community at large do not casually visit the school building. Similarly, information was posted on the District website in December, and a letter was sent home with students—but none of this informs the general public. Applications for absentee ballots must be requested by December 9, 2025, by which time the general public had no information about the upcoming vote beyond the minimal legal notice. We understand that information will be sent by mail, and that a public meeting has been scheduled, but it appears that the public will have, at best, last-minute notice of the meeting.

In order to cast a vote on any proposition—but especially one of such importance to the district—voters need, at the very least, to be informed of the vote in a timely manner. Ideally that information would be more than what is required legally. In addition, voters should have easy access to the details of the proposition and of the time and place of the vote. We acknowledge that this information is available on the District’s website and in the published public notice, but without a press release or an announcement on social media, how is the public to know when the vote is or that there is even a proposal?

At this point, the League can only point voters to the District website for minimal information on the vote. Unfortunately, it is too late to apply for an absentee ballot.

The League of Women Voters regularly combats mis- and dis-information, but in this case the problem is lack of information.

Christina Bourgeois and Hudi Podolsky are co-presidents of the League of Women Voters of the Cooperstown Area.