Bellmore-Merrick Central District residents to vote on $49.89M bond on Dec. 2

Bellmore-Merrick Central High School District residents will head to the polls on Monday, Dec. 2, to vote on a proposed $49.89 million bond to repair and restore the district’s five schools — Grand Avenue and Merrick Avenue middle schools, and Calhoun, Kennedy and Mepham high schools.

A little more than half of the bond amount — $26.89 million — would be returned to the school district in state building aid, which Bellmore-Merrick would receive over the bond’s 15-year life.

If passed, the bond would cost local taxpayers $104 per year, or $8.67 per month. Work could begin next summer, if all goes as planned, and most of the renovations would be done over the next three summers.

The bond proposal, prepared by BBS Architects, Landscape Architects and Engineers of Patchogue, includes $6.5 million for new artificial-turf athletic fields, $6 million for new bathrooms and $5 million for new science laboratories at all five schools, as well as monies for renovated music, art, faculty and guidance rooms, refinished gym floors, kitchen ceiling and lighting replacement, removal of vinyl asbestos titles, masonry work, new doors where needed, and air-conditioning units in all classrooms and auditoriums.

Voting locations and hours are:

• In Bellmore, Shore Road Elementary School, 7 a.m. to 10 p.m.

• In Merrick, Norman J. Levy-Lakeside Elementary School, 6 a.m. to 9 p.m.

• In North Bellmore, Newbridge Road Elementary School, 6 a.m. to 9 p.m.

• In North Merrick, Harold D. Fayette Elementary School, 2 to 10 p.m.

For more, check out the Herald Life’s complete coverage at liherald.com/merrick or bellmore.