FORM 4 Check this box if no longer subject to Section 16. Form 4 or Form 5 obligations may continue. See Instruction 1(b).

UNITED STATES SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION Washington, D.C. 20549 STATEMENT OF CHANGES IN BENEFICIAL OWNERSHIP OF SECURITIES Filed pursuant to Section 16(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, Section 17(a) of the Public Utility Holding Company Act of 1935 or Section 30(h) of the Investment Company Act of 1940

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1. Name and Address of Reporting Person * STICKELS ERIC   2. Issuer Name and Ticker or Trading Symbol COMMUNITY BANK SYSTEM, INC. [CBU] 5. Relationship of Reporting Person(s) to Issuer (Check all applicable) __X__ Director _____ 10% Owner _____ Officer (give title below) _____ Other (specify below) (Last) (First) (Middle) C/O COMMUNITY BANK SYSTEM, INC., 5790 WIDEWATERS PARKWAY 3. Date of Earliest Transaction (Month/Day/Year) 03/20/2018 (Street) DEWITT, NY 13214 4. If Amendment, Date Original Filed(Month/Day/Year) 6. Individual or Joint/Group Filing(Check Applicable Line) _X_ Form filed by One Reporting Person ___ Form filed by More than One Reporting Person (City) (State) (Zip) Table I - Non-Derivative Securities Acquired, Disposed of, or Beneficially Owned

1.Title of Security (Instr. 3) 2. Transaction Date (Month/Day/Year) 2A. Deemed Execution Date, if any (Month/Day/Year) 3. Transaction Code (Instr. 8) 4. Securities Acquired (A) or Disposed of (D) (Instr. 3, 4 and 5) 5. Amount of Securities Beneficially Owned Following Reported Transaction(s) (Instr. 3 and 4) 6. Ownership Form: Direct (D) or Indirect (I) (Instr. 4) 7. Nature of Indirect Beneficial Ownership (Instr. 4) Code V Amount (A) or (D) Price Common Stock               11,345 D   Common Stock               1,730 I By Wife Common Stock               40,222.0366 (1) I By Community Bank System, Inc. 401(k) Plan Common Stock               8,266.4239 (1) I By Wife's Community Bank System, Inc. 401(k)

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Table II - Derivative Securities Acquired, Disposed of, or Beneficially Owned
(e.g., puts, calls, warrants, options, convertible securities)

1. Title of Derivative Security (Instr. 3)

2. Conversion or Exercise Price of Derivative Security

3. Transaction Date (Month/Day/Year)

3A. Deemed Execution Date, if any (Month/Day/Year)

4. Transaction Code (Instr. 8)

5. Number of Derivative Securities Acquired (A) or Disposed of (D) (Instr. 3, 4, and 5)

6. Date Exercisable and Expiration Date (Month/Day/Year)

7. Title and Amount of Underlying Securities (Instr. 3 and 4)

8. Price of Derivative Security (Instr. 5)

9. Number of Derivative Securities Beneficially Owned Following Reported Transaction(s) (Instr. 4)

10. Ownership Form of Derivative Security: Direct (D) or Indirect (I) (Instr. 4)

11. Nature of Indirect Beneficial Ownership (Instr. 4)

Code

V

(A)

(D)

Date Exercisable

Expiration Date

Title

Amount or Number of Shares

Phantom Stock (Deferred Stock Units)

(2)

03/20/2018

A

611

(2)

(2)

Common Stock

611

$ 0

1,174.0391 (3)

D

Reporting Owners

Reporting Owner Name / Address	Relationships
	Director	10% Owner	Officer	Other
STICKELS ERIC C/O COMMUNITY BANK SYSTEM, INC. 5790 WIDEWATERS PARKWAY DEWITT, NY 13214	X

Signatures

Danielle M. Cima, pursuant to a Confirming Statement executed by Eric E. Stickels		03/22/2018
**Signature of Reporting Person		Date

Explanation of Responses:

*	If the form is filed by more than one reporting person, see Instruction 4(b)(v).
**	Intentional misstatements or omissions of facts constitute Federal Criminal Violations. See 18 U.S.C. 1001 and 15 U.S.C. 78ff(a).
(1)	The number of share reported herein were acquired pursuant to Community Bank System, Inc.'s 401(K) Plan and are based on a current plan statement.
(2)	The reporting person has received deferred stock units under the Community Bank System, Inc. 2014 Long-Term Incentive Plan. Each phantom stock unit which represents a deferred stock unit is the economic equivalent of one share of Community Bank System, Inc. common stock and will be settled in common stock at a predetermined date.
(3)	Includes 10.0391 units of deferred stock acquired under the Plan's dividend reinvestment feature.

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