Exhibit 23.5


               FORM OF CONSENT OF SANDLER O'NEILL & PARTNERS, L.P.


      We hereby consent to the inclusion of our opinion letter to the Board
of Directors of Grange National Banc Corp. (the "Company"), dated the date
hereof, as an Annex to the Proxy Statement/Prospectus relating to the
proposed merger of the Company with and into Community Bank System, Inc.
("CBSI") contained in CBSI's Registration Statement on Form S-4 as filed with
the Securities and Exchange Commission on the date hereof, and to the
references to our firm and such opinion in such Proxy Statement/Prospectus.
In giving such consent, we do not admit that we come within the category of
persons whose consent is required under Section 7 of the Securities Act of
1933, as amended (the "Act"), or the rules and regulations of the Securities
and Exchange Commission thereunder (the "Regulations"), nor do we admit that
we are experts with respect to any part of such Registration Statement within
the meaning of the term "experts" as used in the Act or the Regulations.


_____________, 2003