North Merrick puts $14.7M bond to vote

The North Merrick School District is seeking to borrow $14.65 million for infrastructure upgrades at Camp Avenue, Fayette and Old Mill Road elementary schools, which administrators say are essential for the schools’ long-term use. Local residents will decide at the May 19 school vote whether to approve a bond sale to fund the buildings and grounds improvements.

All three schools need new boilers, radiators, masonry work, and air-conditioners in each building’s general assembly room, administrators said at North Merrick Board of Education meetings this winter. In addition, Camp Avenue needs new hot-water pipes, and Fayette and Old Mill Road need new windows. On March 10, the board passed a resolution to place a bond referendum on the May ballot.

“The projects, they’re basically structural issues that have to do with the buildings’ shells, heating, and these are things that any homeowner would need to tackle at some point,” said North Merrick Superintendent David Feller. “We’re not talking about any frills or anything fancy. It’s just taking care of the basic needs of these buildings, so that they can last another 50 years.”

If approved, the bond would cost the average North Merrick household $127.55 annually for 15 years, according to Feller and Dr. Stephen Draper, assistant superintendent for business and operations.

In December 2013, voters in the Bellmore-Merrick Central High School District, which includes North Merrick, approved a capital improvement bond costing the average household $104 annually for 15 years. But the Central District draws from a much larger population and commercial property base than North Merrick, the smallest of its four component districts. The Central District bonded $49.89 million, nearly three and a half times more than North Merrick is seeking now.

Feller said that North Merrick’s trustees strived to keep the district’s bond below $15 million. To reduce costs, they did not include asbestos floor tile replacement in the proposal. Instead, the proposal calls for asbestos abatement if there is enough funding left when other projects are finished.