District hosts latest bond info meeting

More than 75 people turned out for the Baldwin School District’s latest information session about Innovation 2020, the district’s proposed multi-year capital improvement plan that would raise annual property taxes $334, on average, for 20 years.

A vote on the proposal is scheduled for March 18 from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. at the high school, at 841 Ethel T. Kloberg Drive.

District residents will vote on a $158 million bond that would help fund the proposed district-wide project, which includes renovations to the high school, middle school and elementary schools. The renovation ideas, which include installing air conditioning, redesigning elementary classrooms, and building a new performing arts center, media center, restrooms and athletic facilities, stemmed from a state-mandated Building Conditions Survey and Community Input Night in 2016, when more than 100 local residents shared their thoughts on how to improve school facilities.

School officials worked with representatives of H2M Architects and Engineers and other consultants to review the assessed values of all the homes in Baldwin and determine that, if the bond were approved, homeowners would pay an average of $27.81 per month over the next two decades.

School administrators have presented information and preliminary renderings of the proposed project at meetings around the community since last fall. At the March 3 meeting at the district office, local labor union representatives asked school officials if they would use union labor for the proposed construction work.

“We follow [New York State Department of Education] regulations,” Camhi said. “It is all prevailing wage. We don’t dictate any of that.”

“We’re just looking for a project labor agreement to secure that for the work that you need,” said Anthony Speziale, who represented Laborers 66, a Long Island labor union. “And if not, then my members will vote no against it.”

Jason Smith, from H2M Architects and Engineers, of Baldwin, explained the district must adhere to state guidelines and publicly bid for its capital projects. Contractors hired by the district may or may not seek union labor, although it is out of the district’s control.

“It’s not like we’re against anything. It’s just we have to abide by what the state regulations are,” Smith said. “So if you are with a union, and you bid the project, and your numbers come in accurately, of course we’ll award it to you — to the lowest responsible bidder.”

At least nine union representatives attended the meeting.

“We live in these communities, and we have children,” another member of Laborers 66 said. “And we need these jobs so we can stay here. If they’re doing it non-union, we can’t work here, then why would we want to contribute to it?”

Members of the New York City District Council of Carpenters also asked if the district would use union labor.

“I just hope that if you do it, you do it right,” said Joshua Snediker, of Baldwin, whose son attends Baldwin schools. People clapped.

Martin Flash, of the Carpenters Union, also urged school officials to consider union labor.

“I appreciate that you guys are here,” Camhi said. “Your message is heard loud and clear. We certainly can take that into consideration . . . ” Dr. James Robinson, assistant superintendent of business and administrative services, explained that the district is heavily regulated.

A few residents shared concerns about property tax increases. In response to questions about whether or not school officials could scale back the project proposal, Camhi said it was reduced from the beginning. “We have scaled it back from $206 million to $158 million,” she said.

“There are plans in progress right now, as we speak, to expand our tax base,” Board of Education Trustee Sue Cools said. “Isn’t that our problem? . . . We have the chance to not only revitalize our school district, but our town. Imagine if we successfully do both of those things together. This will look like nothing else on Long Island. And you’ll own homes here, so as a homeowner, it seems like a win-win.”

Representatives from Breslin Realty also attended the meeting and said the major commercial developer is a “hopeful participant” in the redevelopment of the Grand Avenue corridor.

“Our relevance, I think, to this meeting is that we are eagerly awaiting the opportunity to add to the tax base by redeveloping, in particular, our development [that] is on the corner of Sunrise [Highway] and Grand [Avenue] on the southeast corner — the parking lot,” David Orwasher, chief development officer at Breslin Realty, said at the meeting.

Renaire Frierson, a resident within the Baldwin School District, asked if the developer would seek a tax abatement or tax incentives for building there.

“There’s potentially a pilot that’s available that we’re discussing,” Orwasher said.