This year’s budget vote and trustee election will be held on Thursday, September 24, 2026, from 2:00 pm to 8:00 pm at the John Jermain Memorial Library. 

Unable to vote in person on September 24th? Please consider voting by absentee ballot.
Registered voters residing within the Sag Harbor Union Free School District may obtain an application for an absentee ballot beginning July 31, 2026 during school business hours from the Sag Harbor School District Clerk, 200 Jermain Avenue, Sag Harbor, or from the Director of John Jermain Library between the hours of 10:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m. Absentee Ballot applications are also available for download here in Spanish and English.

Completed applications must be received by the District Clerk by September 17, 2026 if the ballot is to be mailed to the voter, or by September 24, 2025, if the ballot is to be delivered personally to the voter. Absentee ballots must be received by the District Clerk no later than 5:00 p.m., prevailing time, on Thursday, September 24, 2026.

Budget Information & Candidate Statements:

Registered voters in the Sag Harbor Union Free School District will vote on the proposed 2027 budget as well as elect two trustees to fill two (2) at-large seats, each with a three-year term commencing January 1, 2027, and expiring December 31, 2029.

Proposition:
“Shall the Board of Education of the Sag Harbor Union Free School District be authorized to appropriate funds in the amount of THREE MILLION FIVE HUNDRED NINETY-EIGHT THOUSAND SEVEN HUNDRED AND FORTY-SIX and 00/100 (3,598,746.00) DOLLARS to be raised by a levy of a tax upon the taxable real property within the Sag Harbor Union Free School District’s boundaries.” 
And
To elect two trustees, to fill two (2) at-large seats each with a three-year term commencing January 1, 2027 and expiring December 31, 2029

Our budget statement can be found on pages 2-3 in our Autumn Newsletter.

To learn more about these candidates and the Library’s proposed budget, we encourage you to read their candidate statements below and to attend the budget hearing and a trustee candidate forum on Wednesday, September 16, 2026, from 5:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m.

Four candidates are on the ballot to fill three at-large seats.

Candidate Statements:
(listed alphabetically)

Megan Curren Schmidt was first elected to the JJML Board of Trustees in 2023 and has served as both Board Treasurer and Chair of the Library’s Legal & Finance Committee since 2024. She is honored to be running for a second term and hopes to continue to serve the library community that has brought so much joy and enrichment to her family’s life.

Megan is a graduate of The Bronx High School of Science and of Trinity College (Hartford, CT) where she earned a B.A. in Art History and a Minor in Maritime Studies through Williams College-Mystic Seaport. Beginning her career in New York City, Megan quickly rose through the ranks of the art and advertising departments at Penguin Putnam, moving on to land as a Managing Publishing Associate for Simon & Schuster at age 26.

After marrying her husband in his childhood summer hometown of Montauk, the couple moved, lived and worked on Maui for two years before returning back to the East End in 2002. They have been year-round residents of Sag Harbor since 2009.

Outside of her early publishing career, Megan’s professional background lies predominantly in non-profit development and communications, most notably as the former Communications Director at Quinipet Camp & Retreat Center (Shelter Island) and at The CDCH Foundation for Special Children (Wainscott). Megan is a passionate supporter of local farming and served on the Board of Slow Food East End from 2012-2018. Over the past year, Megan has recommitted her focus to the East End’s food culture professionally as Manager of Art of Eating Catering & Event Planning in Bridgehampton.

Michael Garabedian received his Bachelor of Arts degree from New York University in 1982 and his Juris Doctor from Albany Law School, Union University, in 1985. He is a partner at Egan & Golden, LLP, with offices in Bridgehampton and Patchogue, New York, where he is actively engaged in the litigation of civil matters in both federal and state courts.

Michael is deeply committed to community service and charitable organizations. He currently serves on the Board of Directors of Operation International, Ltd., an international surgical aid organization that provides free surgical care to underserved individuals around the world.

He previously served for more than 16 years, spanning over four terms, on the Board of Trustees of the John Jermain Memorial Library. During his tenure, he played an active role in the Library’s construction and renovation projects.

Michael also served as President of the Board of Directors of Hopscotch Adoptions, Inc., a Hague Convention-accredited, nonprofit international adoption provider dedicated to orphan relief and to finding permanent, loving homes for children with families in the United States and abroad

In addition, Michael served on the Board of the New York Armenian Home, a nonprofit senior assisted living facility in Flushing, New York, where he also served as Board President.

Penelope Greene is a lover of books and lives in Noyac. She is never without a library card. She grew up in libraries, starting at the Quogue Library and the Hampton Library in Bridgehampton, where her mother had worked, and then John Jermain Memorial Library once Sag Harbor became her home. Reading has always been Penelope’s favorite hobby, and she would visit John Jermain throughout her school years and always loved it there.

Penelope graduated from Pierson High School and continued her education at SUNY Geneseo, where she graduated in 2025 with a degree in English literature and a minor in communications. She was also a nine-time all-American and two-time national champion on Geneseo’s cross-country and track teams. Now, Penelope works at BookHampton in East Hampton, visits John Jermain weekly, and can be seen running through Sag Harbor Village regularly. She would love to give back to her community by helping to make the library even better than it already is.

Daniel Hernandez is a dedicated community member, parent, and communications professional running for Library Trustee. A graduate of the University of Tampa, Daniel earned his degree in Advertising and Public Relations while being a member of the university’s swim team for all four years and serving as captain his senior year. He spent his early career working as a public relations professional, managing strategic communications and media relations for major global brands including Walmart, Anheuser-Busch, Sony, Samsung and more. Today, he channels that leadership and operational mindset into his full-time role as a stay-at-home father to his two young children. As Library Trustee, Daniel is committed to:

• Supporting Families: Expanding accessible, engaging programming and resources for parents, children, and lifelong learners.
• Modernizing Technology: Advancing the library’s digital infrastructure and tech capabilities to keep pace with community needs.
• Fiscal Responsibility: Applying rigorous strategic oversight to ensure sound, transparent financial decisions.

Daniel looks forward to serving the community and keeping our public library a vibrant, well-funded resource for every generation.