Exhibit No. 99.1

[LOGO]                                                              News Release
COMMUNITY BANK SYSTEM, INC.
5790 Widewaters Parkway, DeWitt, N.Y. 13214

                                        For further information, please contact:
                                                              Scott A. Kingsley,
                                                   EVP & Chief Financial Officer
                                                          Office: (315) 445-3121
                                                             Fax: (315) 445-7347

                COMMUNITY BANK SYSTEM'S SUCCESSION PLAN COMPLETE

     MARK E. TRYNISKI ASSUMES ROLE OF PRESIDENT AND CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER

      Syracuse,  N.Y. - August 1, 2006 - Community Bank System, Inc. (NYSE: CBU)
today officially welcomed its new President and Chief Executive Officer, Mark E.
Tryniski, following the retirement of Sanford A. Belden at the close of business
yesterday,  July 31. Mr. Belden, 63, had served as President and Chief Executive
Officer of both the company and the bank since joining  Community Bank System in
1992.

      Mr. Tryniski,  46, has been with the bank since 2003, serving first as its
Chief Financial Officer, and more recently,  as its Executive Vice President and
Chief Operating Officer. He has been transitioning into his new role since early
December 2005, at which time the company  announced Mr.  Belden's  intentions to
retire, and began implementing its longstanding, predetermined succession plan.

      A  Central   New  York   native,   Mr.   Tryniski   was  a  partner   with
PricewaterhouseCoopers prior to joining Community Bank System, with a particular
focus on companies  within the banking and  financial  services  sectors.  He is
active in many civic and educational organizations,  and serves on the Boards of
Directors of the Everson  Museum of Art, the Hospice  Foundation  of Central New
York,  and the  State  University  of New  York at  Oswego,  from  which he is a
graduate.  He resides in Baldwinsville,  N.Y. with his wife, Phyllis,  and their
four children.

      Community  Bank System,  Inc.  (NYSE:  CBU) is a  registered  bank holding
company based in DeWitt,  N.Y. CBU's  wholly-owned  banking  subsidiary has $4.1
billion in assets and approximately  130 customer  facilities across Upstate New
York, where it operates as Community Bank, N.A., and Northeastern  Pennsylvania,
where it operates as First Liberty Bank & Trust. For further  information please
visit our websites at: www.communitybankna.com or www.firstlibertybank.com.

This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the
Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995.

The following  factors,  among others,  could cause the actual  results of CBU's
operations  to  differ  materially  from  CBU's  expectations:   the  successful
integration of operations of its acquisitions;  competition; changes in economic
conditions,  interest rates and financial markets; and changes in legislation or
regulatory requirements.  CBU does not assume any duty to update forward-looking
statements.

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