content: 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: April 19, 1999
                         (Date of earliest event reported)
  
  
                            COMMUNITY BANK SYSTEM, INC.
                            ---------------------------
                 (Exact name of registrant as specified in charter)
  
  
              DELAWARE                     0-11716              16-1213679
              --------                     -------              ----------
     State of other Jurisdiction          (Commission          (IRS Employer
        of incorporation)                File Number)      Identification Number)
  
  
       5790 WIDEWATERS PARKWAY, DEWITT, NEW YORK                   13214
       -----------------------------------------                   -----
        (Address of principal executive offices)                 (Zip Codes)
  
        Registrant's telephone numbers, including area code: (315) 445-2282
  
                                   Not Applicable
           -------------------------------------------------------------
           (Former name or former address, if changed since last report)
  ================================================================================
  
  
  
                            This report contains 5 pages
  
                          Exhibit index located at page 2.
  
  
  
  <PAGE>
  
  
                                     Index Page
  
  
  
  Item 5.   Other Events
  
            Summary  disclosure  on  company  website  of recent  insider  trading
            activity and current insider stock holdings.
  
  
  Effective April 19, 1999,  Community Bank System, Inc. (NYSE: CBU) will disclose
  recent insider  trading  activity and current  insider stock holdings on its Web
  site  (www.communitybankna.com).  Insider  trades will be  summarized on the Web
  site from data  obtained  from reports  filed  pursuant to Section  16(a) of the
  Securities and Exchange Act of 1934. The information provided is to the best of
  the Company's knowledge accurate when issued but does not reflect information or
  trades  after the stated  date.  The passage of time  renders  such  information
  stale,  and the Company cannot be responsible for any  misimpressions  which may
  result from the reading of dated information.
  
  
  <PAGE>
  
  
              CBSI Insider Trading Activity Since December 31, 1998
  
  Objective:  The Company  encourages  stock  ownership by executive  officers and
  directors  as a  way  to  more  closely  associate  management  and  shareholder
  perspectives.  The awarding of various  forms of stock  options to this group as
  well as to other selected  employees is intended to facilitate such  investment.
  The stock-based  plans described in the Company's annual Proxy Statement reflect
  the goal to align officer and director compensation with the long-term interests
  of shareholders.
  
  The following  information is being provided to better inform  shareholders  and
  investors  regarding  stock  ownership  and stock  trades  by  senior  executive
  officers  and  directors  of the Company for the  specified  time  periods.  The
  information  provided is to the best of the  Company's  knowledge  accurate when
  issued but does not reflect  information  or trades after the stated issue date.
  The passage of time renders such  information  stale,  and the Company cannot be
  responsible  for any  misimpressions  which may result from the reading of dated
  information.  All  viewers  should  carefully  check  the dates of  issuance  of
  information, reports, and other items contained in or linked to this Web site.
  
  
  <TABLE>
  <CAPTION>
  
  ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                                                                   Net
                                                             Shares Acquired            Shares Sold             Investment
           Name & Position                     Date       Number     Ave. Price     Number     Ave. Price     or (Proceeds)
  ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------    
  
  <S>                                        <C>           <C>         <C>           <C>         <C>             <C>       
  Sanford A. Belden                          2/18/99       6,527       $ 17.44       6,527       $ 26.38         $ (58,315)
  Director, President and CEO
                            Comment: Exercised and simultaneously sold 6,527 non-qualified options (ordinary
                                     income tax due upon exercise); options were granted in three installments
                                     during 1996.
  
                                             2/18/99       7,094       $ 14.29       3,843       $ 26.38             $ (11)
  
                            Comment: Swapped 3,843 existing shares in exercise of 7,094 incentive stock options;
                                     options were granted in three installments during 1994-1996.  This trans-
                                     action increased total holdings to 36,811 shares compared to 33,560 shares
                                     as of March 23, 1998.
  
  James A. Gabriel                           2/22/99         100       $ 26.69                                     $ 2,669
  Chairman of the Board
                            Comment: Current holdings are 27,810 shares compared to 26,960 shares as of
                                     March 23, 1998.
  
  Michael A. Patton                          2/25/99                                   600 transferred                 $ -
  Regional President
                            Comment: Shares held by daughter transferred from beneficially owned category due to
                                     change of address.  Current holdings are 33,415 shares compared to 33,582
                                     shares as of March 23, 1998.
  
  David G. Wallace                           2/25/99       4,000        $ 7.38       4,000       $ 25.94         $ (74,250)
  Chief Financial Officer
                            Comment: Exercised and simultaneously sold 4,000 non-qualified options (ordinary
                                     income tax due upon exercise); options were scheduled to expire on
                                     March 15, 1999 after a 10-year holding period.  Current holdings are
                                     24,713 shares compared to 23,596 shares as of March 23, 1998.
  
  Nicholas A. DiCerbo                       2/26/99-         400       $ 25.48                                    $ 10,191
  Director                                    4/9/99
                            Comment: Purchased shares in five separate transactions.  1,254 shares held by
                                     children transferred from beneficially owned category on December 31, 1998
                                     due to change of address.  Current holdings are 61,903 compared to 58,988
                                     shares as of March 23, 1998.
  
  Richard C. Cummings                        3/30/99                                17,500  transferred                $ -
  Director
                            Comment: A trust, of which Director Cummings is a trustee, completed distribution of
                                     all its assets to two successor trusts.  No sale of CBSI stock took place.
                                     Director Cummings is not a trustee of either successor trust.  Previous
                                     sales of CBSI stock by the trust took place in the latter half of 1998 under
                                     the direction of an independent investment manager as part of rebalancing
                                     portfolio assets.  Director Cummings' personal and beneficial holdings are
                                     now 16,414 shares compared to 36,021 shares as of March 23, 1998.
  
  John M. Burgess                             4/5/99       2,000       $ 24.13                                    $ 48,250
  Director
                            Comment: Current holdings are 12,720 shares compared to 10,720 shares as of
                                     March 23, 1998.
  
                                                                                                 updated 4/13/99
  </TABLE>
  
  
  
  <TABLE>
  <CAPTION>
  ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                         Common Stock Beneficially Owned by CBSI Insiders
  
                                                               Common Stock Beneficially Owned (a)                  Total
                                                                     As of March 22, 1999                        Unexercised
                                        Director          Shares                                                    Options
                 Name                     Since            Held       Options (b)   Total       Percent (c)       on 3/22/99
  ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
  
  <S>                                     <C>             <C>            <C>        <C>            <C>              <C>   
  Sanford A. Belden                       1992            36,811         3,000      39,811         0.55%            56,349
  John M. Burgess                         1991            10,720        28,672      39,392         0.54%            28,672
  Richard C. Cummings                     1983            33,914        11,166      45,080         0.62%            11,166
  William M. Dempsey                      1984             1,600        32,765      34,365         0.47%            32,765
  Nicholas A. DiCerbo                     1984            61,871        34,158      96,029         1.32%            34,158
  James A. Gabriel                        1984            27,810        36,935      64,745         0.89%            36,935
  Lee T. Hirschey                         1991            28,712        28,672      57,384         0.79%            28,672
  David C. Patterson                      1991            10,902        33,456      44,358         0.61%            33,456
  William N. Sloan                        1991             1,548        29,350      30,898         0.42%            29,350
  
  Girard H. Mayer                     Subsid. Pres.       82,183         2,524      84,707         1.17%            10,150
  Michael A. Patton                    Reg'n Pres.        33,282        21,436      54,718         0.75%            41,355
  David G. Wallace                         CFO            24,233        22,668      46,901         0.64%            44,710
  James A. Wears                       Reg'n Pres.        29,411        27,476      56,887         0.78%            47,405
  
  Total                                    13            382,997       312,278     695,275         9.18%           435,143
  
  Percent total CBSI shares outstanding                    5.27%         4.30%       9.57%                           5.99%
  
  CBSI shares outstanding at March 22, 1999:                                                   7,262,829
  </TABLE>
  
  <TABLE>
  <CAPTION>
  ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                               Common Stock Beneficially Owned (a)                        Total
                                                                     As of March 23, 1998                        Unexercised
                                        Director          Shares                                                    Options
                 Name                     Since            Held       Options (b)   Total       Percent (c)       on 3/23/98
  ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
  <S>                                     <C>             <C>              <C>      <C>            <C>              <C>   
  Sanford A. Belden                       1992            33,560           570      34,130         0.45%            51,550
  John M. Burgess                         1991            10,720         6,845      17,565         0.23%             6,845
  Richard C. Cummings                     1983            36,021         6,845      42,866         0.56%             6,845
  William M. Dempsey                      1984             1,600         6,845       8,445         0.11%             6,845
  Nicholas A. DiCerbo                     1984            58,988         6,445      65,433         0.86%             6,445
  James A. Gabriel                        1984            26,960         6,845      33,805         0.44%             6,845
  Lee T. Hirshey                          1991            27,712         6,845      34,557         0.45%             6,845
  Earl W. MacArthur                       1983             4,128         6,845      10,973         0.14%             6,845
  David C. Patterson                      1991            10,778         6,845      17,623         0.23%             6,845
  William N. Sloan                        1991             1,531         6,845       8,376         0.11%             6,845
  
  Girard H. Mayer                     Subsid. Pres.       81,308           670      81,978         1.08%             2,680
  Michael A. Patton                    Reg'n Pres.        33,582        15,220      48,802         0.64%            35,080
  David G. Wallace                         CFO            23,596        19,120      42,716         0.56%            42,940
  James A. Wears                       Reg'n Pres.        29,011        21,250      50,261         0.66%            41,130
  ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
  Total                                    14            379,495       118,035     497,530         6.44%           234,585
  
  Percent total CBSI shares outstanding                    4.99%         1.55%       6.54%                           3.09%
  ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
  CBSI shares outstanding at March 23, 1998:                                                   7,602,968
  
  </TABLE>
  
  (a)  Represents shares as to which named individual possessed sole or shared
       voting  or  investment  power  as of March  22,  1999 or  March  23,  1998,
       respectively.  Excludes deferred stock held by three directors  received in
       lieu of cash compensation. See Company proxy for additional detail.
  
  (b)  Includes  shares  that the named  individuals  currently  have the right to
       acquire, or will have the right to acquire within 60 days of March 22, 1999
       or March 23, 1998,  respectively,  through exercise of stock options issued
       by the Company.
  
  (c)  Percentage for individuals includes shares held plus options (b) shown as a
       percent of Company shares outstanding plus each individual's options (b).
       Total percentage is based on shares held plus total options (b) of all 
       individuals as a percent of Company shares outstanding plus total options 
       (b) of all individuals.
  
  
  <PAGE>
  
  
  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
  April 19, 1999
metadata_documents: [{"type": "8-K", "sequence": "1", "description": "8-K", "secsgml_size_bytes": 16380}]
metadata_filer: {"company-data": {"conformed-name": "COMMUNITY BANK SYSTEM INC", "cik": "0000723188", "assigned-sic": "6021", "irs-number": "161213679", "state-of-incorporation": "DE", "fiscal-year-end": "1231"}, "filing-values": {"form-type": "8-K", "act": "34", "file-number": "001-13695", "film-number": "99596528"}, "business-address": {"street1": "5790 WIDEWATERS PKWY", "city": "DEWITT", "state": "NY", "zip": "13214", "phone": "3154452282"}, "mail-address": {"street1": "5790 WIDEWATERS PARKWAY", "city": "DEWITT", "state": "NY", "zip": "13214"}}
text: 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: April 19, 1999
                         (Date of earliest event reported)
  
                            COMMUNITY BANK SYSTEM, INC.
                            ---------------------------
                 (Exact name of registrant as specified in charter)
  
              DELAWARE                     0-11716              16-1213679
              --------                     -------              ----------
     State of other Jurisdiction          (Commission          (IRS Employer
        of incorporation)                File Number)      Identification Number)
  
       5790 WIDEWATERS PARKWAY, DEWITT, NEW YORK                   13214
       -----------------------------------------                   -----
        (Address of principal executive offices)                 (Zip Codes)
  
        Registrant's telephone numbers, including area code: (315) 445-2282
  
                                   Not Applicable
           -------------------------------------------------------------
           (Former name or former address, if changed since last report)
  ================================================================================
  
                            This report contains 5 pages
  
                          Exhibit index located at page 2.
  Index Page
  
  Item 5.   Other Events
  
            Summary  disclosure  on  company  website  of recent  insider  trading
            activity and current insider stock holdings.
  
  Effective April 19, 1999,  Community Bank System, Inc. (NYSE: CBU) will disclose
  recent insider  trading  activity and current  insider stock holdings on its Web
  site  (www.communitybankna.com).  Insider  trades will be  summarized on the Web
  site from data  obtained  from reports  filed  pursuant to Section  16(a) of the
  Securities and Exchange Act of 1934. The information provided is to the best of
  the Company's knowledge accurate when issued but does not reflect information or
  trades  after the stated  date.  The passage of time  renders  such  information
  stale,  and the Company cannot be responsible for any  misimpressions  which may
  result from the reading of dated information.
  CBSI Insider Trading Activity Since December 31, 1998
  
  Objective:  The Company  encourages  stock  ownership by executive  officers and
  directors  as a  way  to  more  closely  associate  management  and  shareholder
  perspectives.  The awarding of various  forms of stock  options to this group as
  well as to other selected  employees is intended to facilitate such  investment.
  The stock-based  plans described in the Company's annual Proxy Statement reflect
  the goal to align officer and director compensation with the long-term interests
  of shareholders.
  
  The following  information is being provided to better inform  shareholders  and
  investors  regarding  stock  ownership  and stock  trades  by  senior  executive
  officers  and  directors  of the Company for the  specified  time  periods.  The
  information  provided is to the best of the  Company's  knowledge  accurate when
  issued but does not reflect  information  or trades after the stated issue date.
  The passage of time renders such  information  stale,  and the Company cannot be
  responsible  for any  misimpressions  which may result from the reading of dated
  information.  All  viewers  should  carefully  check  the dates of  issuance  of
  information, reports, and other items contained in or linked to this Web site.
  ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                                                                   Net
                                                             Shares Acquired            Shares Sold             Investment
           Name & Position                     Date       Number     Ave. Price     Number     Ave. Price     or (Proceeds)
  ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
  Sanford A. Belden                          2/18/99       6,527       $ 17.44       6,527       $ 26.38         $ (58,315)
  Director, President and CEO
                            Comment: Exercised and simultaneously sold 6,527 non-qualified options (ordinary
                                     income tax due upon exercise); options were granted in three installments
                                     during 1996.
  
                                             2/18/99       7,094       $ 14.29       3,843       $ 26.38             $ (11)
  
                            Comment: Swapped 3,843 existing shares in exercise of 7,094 incentive stock options;
                                     options were granted in three installments during 1994-1996.  This trans-
                                     action increased total holdings to 36,811 shares compared to 33,560 shares
                                     as of March 23, 1998.
  
  James A. Gabriel                           2/22/99         100       $ 26.69                                     $ 2,669
  Chairman of the Board
                            Comment: Current holdings are 27,810 shares compared to 26,960 shares as of
                                     March 23, 1998.
  
  Michael A. Patton                          2/25/99                                   600 transferred                 $ -
  Regional President
                            Comment: Shares held by daughter transferred from beneficially owned category due to
                                     change of address.  Current holdings are 33,415 shares compared to 33,582
                                     shares as of March 23, 1998.
  
  David G. Wallace                           2/25/99       4,000        $ 7.38       4,000       $ 25.94         $ (74,250)
  Chief Financial Officer
                            Comment: Exercised and simultaneously sold 4,000 non-qualified options (ordinary
                                     income tax due upon exercise); options were scheduled to expire on
                                     March 15, 1999 after a 10-year holding period.  Current holdings are
                                     24,713 shares compared to 23,596 shares as of March 23, 1998.
  
  Nicholas A. DiCerbo                       2/26/99-         400       $ 25.48                                    $ 10,191
  Director                                    4/9/99
                            Comment: Purchased shares in five separate transactions.  1,254 shares held by
                                     children transferred from beneficially owned category on December 31, 1998
                                     due to change of address.  Current holdings are 61,903 compared to 58,988
                                     shares as of March 23, 1998.
  
  Richard C. Cummings                        3/30/99                                17,500  transferred                $ -
  Director
                            Comment: A trust, of which Director Cummings is a trustee, completed distribution of
                                     all its assets to two successor trusts.  No sale of CBSI stock took place.
                                     Director Cummings is not a trustee of either successor trust.  Previous
                                     sales of CBSI stock by the trust took place in the latter half of 1998 under
                                     the direction of an independent investment manager as part of rebalancing
                                     portfolio assets.  Director Cummings' personal and beneficial holdings are
                                     now 16,414 shares compared to 36,021 shares as of March 23, 1998.
  
  John M. Burgess                             4/5/99       2,000       $ 24.13                                    $ 48,250
  Director
                            Comment: Current holdings are 12,720 shares compared to 10,720 shares as of
                                     March 23, 1998.
  
                                                                                                 updated 4/13/99
  ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                         Common Stock Beneficially Owned by CBSI Insiders
  
                                                               Common Stock Beneficially Owned (a)                  Total
                                                                     As of March 22, 1999                        Unexercised
                                        Director          Shares                                                    Options
                 Name                     Since            Held       Options (b)   Total       Percent (c)       on 3/22/99
  ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
  Sanford A. Belden                       1992            36,811         3,000      39,811         0.55%            56,349
  John M. Burgess                         1991            10,720        28,672      39,392         0.54%            28,672
  Richard C. Cummings                     1983            33,914        11,166      45,080         0.62%            11,166
  William M. Dempsey                      1984             1,600        32,765      34,365         0.47%            32,765
  Nicholas A. DiCerbo                     1984            61,871        34,158      96,029         1.32%            34,158
  James A. Gabriel                        1984            27,810        36,935      64,745         0.89%            36,935
  Lee T. Hirschey                         1991            28,712        28,672      57,384         0.79%            28,672
  David C. Patterson                      1991            10,902        33,456      44,358         0.61%            33,456
  William N. Sloan                        1991             1,548        29,350      30,898         0.42%            29,350
  
  Girard H. Mayer                     Subsid. Pres.       82,183         2,524      84,707         1.17%            10,150
  Michael A. Patton                    Reg'n Pres.        33,282        21,436      54,718         0.75%            41,355
  David G. Wallace                         CFO            24,233        22,668      46,901         0.64%            44,710
  James A. Wears                       Reg'n Pres.        29,411        27,476      56,887         0.78%            47,405
  
  Total                                    13            382,997       312,278     695,275         9.18%           435,143
  
  Percent total CBSI shares outstanding                    5.27%         4.30%       9.57%                           5.99%
  
  CBSI shares outstanding at March 22, 1999:                                                   7,262,829
  ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                               Common Stock Beneficially Owned (a)                        Total
                                                                     As of March 23, 1998                        Unexercised
                                        Director          Shares                                                    Options
                 Name                     Since            Held       Options (b)   Total       Percent (c)       on 3/23/98
  ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
  Sanford A. Belden                       1992            33,560           570      34,130         0.45%            51,550
  John M. Burgess                         1991            10,720         6,845      17,565         0.23%             6,845
  Richard C. Cummings                     1983            36,021         6,845      42,866         0.56%             6,845
  William M. Dempsey                      1984             1,600         6,845       8,445         0.11%             6,845
  Nicholas A. DiCerbo                     1984            58,988         6,445      65,433         0.86%             6,445
  James A. Gabriel                        1984            26,960         6,845      33,805         0.44%             6,845
  Lee T. Hirshey                          1991            27,712         6,845      34,557         0.45%             6,845
  Earl W. MacArthur                       1983             4,128         6,845      10,973         0.14%             6,845
  David C. Patterson                      1991            10,778         6,845      17,623         0.23%             6,845
  William N. Sloan                        1991             1,531         6,845       8,376         0.11%             6,845
  
  Girard H. Mayer                     Subsid. Pres.       81,308           670      81,978         1.08%             2,680
  Michael A. Patton                    Reg'n Pres.        33,582        15,220      48,802         0.64%            35,080
  David G. Wallace                         CFO            23,596        19,120      42,716         0.56%            42,940
  James A. Wears                       Reg'n Pres.        29,011        21,250      50,261         0.66%            41,130
  ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
  Total                                    14            379,495       118,035     497,530         6.44%           234,585
  
  Percent total CBSI shares outstanding                    4.99%         1.55%       6.54%                           3.09%
  ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
  CBSI shares outstanding at March 23, 1998:                                                   7,602,968
  (a)  Represents shares as to which named individual possessed sole or shared
       voting  or  investment  power  as of March  22,  1999 or  March  23,  1998,
       respectively.  Excludes deferred stock held by three directors  received in
       lieu of cash compensation. See Company proxy for additional detail.
  
  (b)  Includes  shares  that the named  individuals  currently  have the right to
       acquire, or will have the right to acquire within 60 days of March 22, 1999
       or March 23, 1998,  respectively,  through exercise of stock options issued
       by the Company.
  
  (c)  Percentage for individuals includes shares held plus options (b) shown as a
       percent of Company shares outstanding plus each individual's options (b).
       Total percentage is based on shares held plus total options (b) of all 
       individuals as a percent of Company shares outstanding plus total options 
       (b) of all individuals.
  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
  April 19, 1999