content: UNITED STATES
                         SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
                               Washington, D. C. 20549
  
  
                                      FORM 8-K
                                   CURRENT REPORT
  
  
      Pursuant to Section 13 or 15 (d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934
  
                            Date of Report: June 16, 1997
                          (Date of earliest event reported)
  
  
                             COMMUNITY BANK SYSTEM, INC.
               (Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)
  
  
  
          Delaware                         0-11716                 16-1213679
  (State or other Jurisdiction    (Commission File Number)    (I. R. S. Employer
  of incorporation)                                        Identification number)
  
  
                   5790 Widewaters Parkway, DeWitt, New York 13214
                 (Address of principal executive offices) (Zip Code)
  
  
                            Registrant's telephone number
                         including area code: (315) 445-2282
  
  
                                   Not Applicable
            (Former name or former address, if changed since last report)
  
  
  
  <PAGE>
  
  
  Items 1-4.                          Not Applicable
  
  Item 5.                             Other Events
  
  News Release dated August 4, 1997  announcing  the purchase of 20 branch offices
  in two separate  transactions.  Eight (8) branch offices  purchased from KeyBank
  N.A. (New York) on June 16, 1997 and twelve (12) branch  offices  purchased from
  Fleet Bank on July 18, 1997.
  
  
  <PAGE>
  
  NEWSRELEASE
  COMMUNITY BANK SYSTEM, INC.
  5790 Widewaters Parkway
  DeWitt, New York  13214
                                                             For further
                                                             information
                                                             please
                                                             contact:
  
                                                  David G. Wallace
                                                  SVP and Chief Financial Officer
                                                  Office:  315/445-2282
                                                  FAX:    315/445-2997
  
  FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
  
                     COMMUNITY BANK, N.A. PURCHASES 20 BRANCHES
  
           SYRACUSE,  NY, August 4, 1997 -----  Community  Bank,  N.A.  (CBNA),  a
  wholly-owned  banking  subsidiary of Community  Bank System,  Inc.  (NASDAQ NMS:
  CBSI),  is pleased to announce the  successful  completion of its  purchase,  in
  separate transactions, of eight Western New York branches from KeyBank N.A. (New
  York) ("Key") and twelve  Northern New York branches from Fleet Bank  ("Fleet").
  The  acquisition  of the branches  from Key closed on June 16,  1997,  while the
  acquisition of the Fleet branches closed on July 18, 1997.
  
           The branches and their  respective  counties  are:  Alfred,  Cuba,  and
  Wellsville in Allegany County; Gowanda in Cattaraugus County; Clymer, Cassadaga,
  Ripley,  and Sherman in Chautauqua  County for the Key branch  acquisition;  and
  Ogdensburg(2),  Gouverneur,  and Massena(2) in St.  Lawrence  County;  St. Regis
  Falls in  Franklin  County;  Lowville  in Lewis  County;  Old Forge in  Herkimer
  County;  Boonville in Oneida County;  and Clayton and  Watertown(2) in Jefferson
  County for the Fleet branch  acquisition.  As a result of these  purchases,  the
  bank's  assets have been  increased  to in excess of $1.6 billion and its branch
  network has been expanded to 68 customer  facilities.  Within 90 days,  three of
  these  facilities are expected to be closed,  with  customers  being serviced at
  other CBNA locations.
  
           Sanford  A.  Belden,  President  and Chief  Executive  Officer of CBNA,
  welcomed the  customers and  employees in these  branches,  stating that the new
  locations  strategically  fill in or add  adjacent  markets  to CBNA's  existing
  branch  network,   strengthen  service  delivery  efficiency,  and  enlarge  the
  marketplace for loan and fee income products.
  
           CBSI is a registered  bank holding  company based in DeWitt,  New York.
  CBNA, its wholly-owned banking subsidiary,  serves customers throughout Northern
  New York, the Finger Lakes region, the Southern Tier, and Southwestern New York.
  CBSI is also parent to Benefit Plans  Administrative  Services,  Inc.  (BPA),  a
  pension  administration  and consulting firm located in Utica,  New York serving
  sponsors of defined benefit and defined contribution plans.
  
                                     ***
  <PAGE>
  
  
                                     SIGNATURES
  
  
           Pursuant to the  requirements  of the  Securities  and  Exchange Act of
  1934,  the  Registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by
  the undersigned thereunto duly authorized.
  
  
  
                                                      Community Bank System, Inc.
                                                      (Registrant)
  
  
                                                      by:/s/ Sanford A. Belden
                                                         Sanford A. Belden
                                                         President and
                                                         Chief Executive Officer
  
  
  
  August 4, 1997
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text: UNITED STATES
                         SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
                               Washington, D. C. 20549
  
                                      FORM 8-K
                                   CURRENT REPORT
  
      Pursuant to Section 13 or 15 (d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934
  
                            Date of Report: June 16, 1997
                          (Date of earliest event reported)
  
                             COMMUNITY BANK SYSTEM, INC.
               (Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)
  
          Delaware                         0-11716                 16-1213679
  (State or other Jurisdiction    (Commission File Number)    (I. R. S. Employer
  of incorporation)                                        Identification number)
  
                   5790 Widewaters Parkway, DeWitt, New York 13214
                 (Address of principal executive offices) (Zip Code)
  
                            Registrant's telephone number
                         including area code: (315) 445-2282
  
                                   Not Applicable
            (Former name or former address, if changed since last report)
  Items 1-4.                          Not Applicable
  
  Item 5.                             Other Events
  
  News Release dated August 4, 1997  announcing  the purchase of 20 branch offices
  in two separate  transactions.  Eight (8) branch offices  purchased from KeyBank
  N.A. (New York) on June 16, 1997 and twelve (12) branch  offices  purchased from
  Fleet Bank on July 18, 1997.
  NEWSRELEASE
  COMMUNITY BANK SYSTEM, INC.
  5790 Widewaters Parkway
  DeWitt, New York  13214
                                                             For further
                                                             information
                                                             please
                                                             contact:
  
                                                  David G. Wallace
                                                  SVP and Chief Financial Officer
                                                  Office:  315/445-2282
                                                  FAX:    315/445-2997
  
  FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
  
                     COMMUNITY BANK, N.A. PURCHASES 20 BRANCHES
  
           SYRACUSE,  NY, August 4, 1997 -----  Community  Bank,  N.A.  (CBNA),  a
  wholly-owned  banking  subsidiary of Community  Bank System,  Inc.  (NASDAQ NMS:
  CBSI),  is pleased to announce the  successful  completion of its  purchase,  in
  separate transactions, of eight Western New York branches from KeyBank N.A. (New
  York) ("Key") and twelve  Northern New York branches from Fleet Bank  ("Fleet").
  The  acquisition  of the branches  from Key closed on June 16,  1997,  while the
  acquisition of the Fleet branches closed on July 18, 1997.
  
           The branches and their  respective  counties  are:  Alfred,  Cuba,  and
  Wellsville in Allegany County; Gowanda in Cattaraugus County; Clymer, Cassadaga,
  Ripley,  and Sherman in Chautauqua  County for the Key branch  acquisition;  and
  Ogdensburg(2),  Gouverneur,  and Massena(2) in St.  Lawrence  County;  St. Regis
  Falls in  Franklin  County;  Lowville  in Lewis  County;  Old Forge in  Herkimer
  County;  Boonville in Oneida County;  and Clayton and  Watertown(2) in Jefferson
  County for the Fleet branch  acquisition.  As a result of these  purchases,  the
  bank's  assets have been  increased  to in excess of $1.6 billion and its branch
  network has been expanded to 68 customer  facilities.  Within 90 days,  three of
  these  facilities are expected to be closed,  with  customers  being serviced at
  other CBNA locations.
  
           Sanford  A.  Belden,  President  and Chief  Executive  Officer of CBNA,
  welcomed the  customers and  employees in these  branches,  stating that the new
  locations  strategically  fill in or add  adjacent  markets  to CBNA's  existing
  branch  network,   strengthen  service  delivery  efficiency,  and  enlarge  the
  marketplace for loan and fee income products.
  
           CBSI is a registered  bank holding  company based in DeWitt,  New York.
  CBNA, its wholly-owned banking subsidiary,  serves customers throughout Northern
  New York, the Finger Lakes region, the Southern Tier, and Southwestern New York.
  CBSI is also parent to Benefit Plans  Administrative  Services,  Inc.  (BPA),  a
  pension  administration  and consulting firm located in Utica,  New York serving
  sponsors of defined benefit and defined contribution plans.
  
                                     ***
  SIGNATURES
  
           Pursuant to the  requirements  of the  Securities  and  Exchange Act of
  1934,  the  Registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by
  the undersigned thereunto duly authorized.
  
                                                      Community Bank System, Inc.
                                                      (Registrant)
  
                                                      by:/s/ Sanford A. Belden
                                                         Sanford A. Belden
                                                         President and
                                                         Chief Executive Officer
  
  August 4, 1997