On Tuesday, April 22, Liberty Central School District Board of Education approved a $68.5 million budget proposal for the 2025-26 school year that maintains programs while enhancing goals and procedure alignment as well as efficiencies district-wide without increasing the tax levy.

This is the seventh consecutive year there is no proposed tax levy increase.

The vote will take place from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. Tuesday, May 20, in the high school media center.

There will be a series of budget information sessions, to which the public is encouraged to attend:

• May 5: Budget presentation to the Liberty Town Board, 6:30 p.m., the Senior Citizens Center at 119 N. Main St.
• May 6: Budget hearing, 6 p.m., High School Auditorium
• May 8: Budget, Dinner and a Concert, 5:30 p.m., HS Media Center
• May 9: Budget talk, 8:30-11:30 a.m., New Munson Diner, 12 Lake St.

The proposed $68,508,362 budget increases spending 0.70%, or $474,068 and would fund all current student programs and services.

Based on the governor’s budget proposal’s state aid projections, the district expects an overall slight decrease in state aid, with the tax lex levy remaining at $17,760,162, the same as the 2024-25 budget.

Also on the ballot is a nearly $7.5 million capital project proposal that would add air conditioning to the elementary school to address recent state legislation that sets 88 degrees as the maximum temperature in educational and support services spaces. There is no expected tax levy impact, as fund balances would be used to offset the costs not covered by state reimbursements. More information is available at the district’s 2025 capital project webpage.

There also will be three board of education seats on the ballot. On the ballot, in the order they will appear, are Miriam Rivka Singer, incumbents John L. Nichols and Timothy Hamblin, Miriam Heimlich and incumbent Matthew DeWitt.

The elected candidates will serve three-year terms running July 1, 2025, through June 30, 2028.

For more information on the budget, including voter information, visit the district budget information page on the website.

SUNY Sullivan is hosting several events over the next few weeks to which Liberty families are invited.

Earth Day Celebration

On Thursday, April 24, the college will host an Earth Day Celebration, supported by the Liberty Partnership Program, to give prospective students the opportunity to experience sustainability in action on campus. The event, which will run from 9:45 a.m. to 1:45 p.m., will feature a vendor fair with more than 25 local community members, each showcasing their efforts in conservation and sustainability.

In addition to the vendor fair, the celebration will include a guided tour of the campus, highlighting key sustainability features such as the apiary, Hope Farm, and the geothermal and solar energy system.

Visitors will also have the chance to participate in interactive workshops, offering hands-on learning experiences in organic farming practices.
For more information, visit sunysullivan.edu/event/earth-day-celebration/

Open House

On Saturday, May 3, the campus will host an open house. There will be campus tours at 11:30 a.m. and 1:30 p.m., with an admission presentation at 1 p.m. The event is open to students who have been accepted and those who are interested in attending.

Registration is appreciated at sunysullivan.edu/open-house, but walk-ins are also welcome. For more information, email admissions@sunysullivan.edu or call 845-434-5750, ext. 4287.

SpringFest

Also on May 3 will be SUNY Sullivan’s SpringFest from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. For more than 30 years, the festival has brought kites, crafters, food vendors, community organizations, and family-friendly activities to campus.

Attendees can take in dance and theater performances, an art show, a professional kite demonstration with candy drops, free bouncy houses, and free kites for the first 300 children.

Participants can explore the campus hiking trails, check out Hope Farm, visit with live farm animals and tour the campus apiary.

The SUNY Sullivan community also welcomes alumni back to campus to reconnect and see how SUNY Sullivan has grown. Alums can stop by the alumni table for a special gift.

For more information, visit sunysullivan.edu/springfest/

The campus is at 112 College Road in Loch Sheldrake. For more information, visit sunysullivan.edu.

The next Liberty Central School District Board of Education meeting will be at 5 p.m. Tuesday, April 22, in the HS Media Center. The board anticipates to enter into executive session (not open to the public) immediately.  The regular portion of the meeting, open to the public, is expected to resume at 6 p.m..  The agenda will be available on Monday, April 22, at Board Docs.

There will be a special meeting of the Board of Education at 5 p.m. Wednesday, April 30, in the District Office at 115 Buckley St. in Liberty.  The board anticipates entering into executive session immediately.  There will be no other business and the meeting will be adjourned at the end of the executive session.  The meeting is not open to the public. The agenda will be available at  Board Docs on Tuesday, April 29.