The Board of Trustees of the Mount Vernon Public Library (MVPL) filed an Article 78 proceeding on Monday, April 21st, against the Board of Education of the Mount Vernon City School District (MVCSD), accusing the District of unlawfully excluding a proposed library bond issue from the upcoming May 2025 school budget ballot.
The Library Board seeks to purchase the childhood home of author E.B. White, who wrote “Charlotte’s Web” and other classic children’s books, located at 101 Summit Ave, to develop a new children’s library branch. To fund the project, they submitted a Library Bond Issue to be placed on the May 2025 school budget ballot. The School District refused to include the bond issue on the ballot, which the MVPL is alleging violates New York Education Law.
According to the verified petition filed in Westchester County Supreme Court (see below), the School District was legally obligated under New York Education Law to place the bond issue on the ballot—but declined without explanation.
The MVPL Board of Trustees v the MVCSD Board of Trustees Petition by BLACK WESTCHESTER MAGAZINE on Scribd
The MVPL Trustees argue they followed all legal procedures and cite multiple Education Law provisions and prior legal precedents that assert the School District has no discretion to reject the submission. The MVPL argues that the MVC School District is legally required to include its bond issue on the school budget ballot under Education Law §§ 259 & 260.
According to the petition, the MVPL is asking the court to compel the MVCSD to include the Library Bond Issue on the May 2025 ballot. To require a corrected Legal Notice, including the Library Bond, to stop finalizing the ballot until the Court makes a decision, and to grant injunctive relief to prevent irreparable harm to the Library project.
The MVCSD has formally responded to a lawsuit filed by the MVPL (see document below), arguing that the Library failed to meet key deadlines required to place a bond proposition on the May 20 school budget ballot.
61625 2025 the Board of Trustees v the Board of Trustees Affirmation 12 by BLACK WESTCHESTER MAGAZINE on Scribd
In a court filing submitted on Wednesday, April 23rd, District Records Access Officer Lori Ann Perriello states that while the Library expressed interest in submitting the bond as early as February, it failed to provide final documentation—including a required environmental review—by the April 1 deadline. The bond proposition was therefore excluded from the legal notice approved by the School Board.
Without swift action, the library risks losing the property as the developer cannot hold it beyond June. The case raises concerns over governance, transparency, and the future of public investment in Mount Vernon’s youth services.
The Mount Vernon City School District voted to adopt the 2025-2026 budget on Tuesday, April 22, 2025. The school budget vote is scheduled for May 20, 2025. Voters will also vote for MVPL & MVCSD Trustees on the same day.
The case is pending in Westchester County Supreme Court.
Stay tuned to Black Westchester for more on this developing story!
Mount Vernon Public Library Sues Mount Vernon City School District Over Ballot Exclusion
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