The Cazenovia Central School District Board of Education has begun formal proceedings to remove Board Member Travis Barr from office after he failed to meet a deadline to resign following his recent arrest.
In a statement released Monday night, the Board said it had demanded Barr’s immediate resignation and gave him until noon Monday to step down. According to the Board, Barr did not resign, prompting members to unanimously approve a resolution initiating formal administrative charges seeking his removal.
The action follows Barr’s arrest by New York State Police.
According to State Police, Barr, 46, was arrested after the Troop D Bureau of Criminal Investigation received a law enforcement referral in Oneida. Investigators allege Barr engaged in a pattern of sexually explicit communications with a child under the age of 12.
Barr has been charged with four counts of Endangering the Welfare of a Child, a Class A misdemeanor.
School officials said New York State Education Law limits the options available to address misconduct by an elected board member. Because board members are elected by voters, they cannot be suspended, censured, or reprimanded by fellow board members. Removal from office is the only available remedy when legal standards are met.
The Board outlined three possible paths for removal: voluntary resignation, a formal administrative hearing before an independent hearing officer, or an official removal order from the New York State Education Department’s commissioner.
Because Barr has not resigned, the district is pursuing a formal hearing, which officials described as the fastest available option. State law requires a 10-day waiting period between the filing of charges and the hearing date.
District officials also noted that Barr remains barred from all school property, district buildings, and school-sponsored events, a restriction first announced on June 19.
The Board said it remains committed to student and staff safety, maintaining public trust, and ensuring the integrity of district governance.
Barr is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in court.
