Revote Petition Filed Dec. 2

A petition calling for a revote on the Schenevus/Worcester school district merger was submitted on December 2 by Schenevus resident Nicole Miskell. The hard-copy petition was given by Miskell to Dr. Catherine Huber, district superintendent at the Otsego Northern Catskills BOCES office in Milford.

David Elliott, coordinator of Educational Aid Services for the New York State Education Department, wrote in an e-mail to Miskell: “As with the original procedure, ONC BOCES will serve as the liaison between the District and the State Ed Department. The BOCES District Superintendent will accept the petition and transmit it to the Commissioner via the Office of Educational Management Services for consideration.” According to Elliott, NYS Education Law 1802(2)(b) requires that a special meeting be called by the Commissioner of Education within 30 days of receipt of a petition calling for a revote duly signed by a qualifying number of voters to consider the annexation question. “At least 10 days prior to said referendum, the District shall be directed by the Commissioner to post notice of said meeting in 10 conspicuous places within the District’s boundaries. Additionally the District must publish said legal notice at least 3 days prior to the vote in the District’s newspaper of record. Law also stipulates that the cost of posting and publishing shall be covered by the District,” Elliott wrote. Because the Schenevus Central School district enrolled 277 students in the 2021-22 school year, the petition required at least 28 signatures from qualified voters residing in the district, as per Elliott.