Petition deadline extended for library board candidates to Thurs. May 5

Tuesday, April 26, 2011

by Christine Yeres

The sole candidate who submitted a petition to run for the vacant seat on the Board of Trustees of the Chappaqua Library withdrew her petition last week for personal reasons. According to New York State Education Law, when the sole candidate withdraws after the time to submit petitions to run for election has passed, the school district must extend the time for filing petitions for 15 days from the receipt of the written withdrawal.

Yesterday, April 25, Theresa Markley, district clerk for the Chappaqua Central School District, gave legal notice that the time for filing petitions for nominating candidates for the office of library trustee has been extended until 5:00 p.m. on Thursday, May 5, 2011.

Petitions must be filed at the District Clerk’s Office at 66 Roaring Brook Road, Chappaqua, NY. The petition must be signed by 35 qualified voters of the school district. Petition forms may be obtained from the District Clerk’s office on weekdays from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

If no candidate comes forward to run for the library trustee position, the library board has the authority, after the election on May 17, to appoint a member of the community to serve for one year. The usual term for a library board trustee is five years.

As a consequence of this extension, absentee ballots for the May 17 school and library boards and budget votes cannot be issued until after the new May 5 deadline. Applications for absentee ballots can be obtained on the district website, www.ccsd.ws and at the District Clerk’s Office in the Education Center.

Legal notice of filing date change issued by the District Clerk’s Office

LEGAL NOTICE

NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN by the Board of Education of the Chappaqua Central School District that due to the withdrawal of a candidate for the office of library trustee of the Chappaqua Library, the time for filing petitions for nominating candidates for the office of library trustee is hereby extended until 5:00 P.M. on May 5, 2011, and such petitions must be filed at the District Clerk’s Office, 66 Roaring Brook Road, Chappaqua, New York, by no later than 5:00 P.M. on May 5, 2011.  Such petitions must be signed by at least 35 qualified voters of the School District, shall state the name and residence address of each signer and state the name and residence address of the candidate.  Petition forms may be picked up at the District Office on weekdays when school is in session, during regular business hours, 8:30 AM to 4:30 PM. 

Dated: April 25, 2011

THERESA MARKLEY                                                                  
DISTRICT CLERK
CHAPPAQUA CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT

The League of Women Voters will hold a Candidates’ Night on Thursday, May 12, at 7:30 p.m. at the Chappaqua Library.

From Library Director Pam Thornton, here is a description of the library board post:

The Library is looking for a community member to fill an upcoming vacancy on the Library Board.  The term is five years, with each member rotating through all the positions, from secretary in the first year to president in the fifth.  The board meets on the second Tuesday of each month, with the exception of August.

Responsibilities of Library Board members are:

• Create and develop the mission of the library;
• Evaluate the performance of the library director;
• Secure adequate funding for the library’s service program;
• Exercise fiduciary responsibility for the use of public and private funds;
• Adopt policies and rules regarding library governance and use;
• Regularly plan and evaluate the library’s service program;
• Maintain a facility that meets the library’s and community’s needs;
• Promote the library in the local community and in society in general;
• Conduct the business of the library in an open and ethical manner in compliance with all applicable laws and regulations and with respect for the institution, staff and public.
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To see Pam Thornton’s overview of the library budget for next year, click: “Changes at the Chappaqua Library due to budget cuts,” NCNOW.org, March 18, 2011, by Pamela Thornton.