Board OKs $39M bond resolution for school renovations

Changes may be coming to elementary buildings in the North Bellmore Public School District.

Following an extensive review of its facilities and a number of meetings with the community, the district Board of Education, at its Oct. 13 meeting in North Merrick, adopted a bond resolution totaling roughly $39 million for renovations in six district buildings. Taxpayers will decide on the bond in a special vote on Dec. 8.

The school district serves students through sixth grade living in North Bellmore and a portion of North Merrick. Its schools feed into the Bellmore-Merrick Central High School District.

In July, the district released the findings of a survey on building conditions. Surveys are mandated by the State Education Department, and must take place every five years. The inspection in North Bellmore was completed in 2020 and submitted to the state in March 2021.

Renovations included in the bond

The inspection found that the district’s buildings — John G. Dinkelmeyer, Martin Avenue, Newbridge Road, Park Avenue and Saw Mill elementary schools — were in need of some major upgrades.

Jacob Gunther Elementary School, which is leased to the Wee Friends Too nursery school and day camp, and houses the North Bellmore Teachers Center as well as some office space, was also inspected, with similar findings. The main areas of concern, according to the district, are the buildings’ HVAC systems — which control heating, ventilation and air conditioning, and are in need of upgrades — and a lack of elevators. Only Martin Avenue has one, and the district would like to make all of its buildings compliant with the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990. The bond also leaves room to update the schools’ playgrounds and complete additional, smaller projects.

The buildings range in age from 65 to 98 years, and every HVAC system needs a total overhaul. “The priority is creating healthier buildings,” Superintendent Marie Testa said. “A healthy school environment, as we know, supports learning and productivity in the classrooms.

“This is about clean, fresh air and adequate filtration,” Testa added. “It keeps our students safe and comfortable, with minimal exposure to germs.”

The addition of elevators would be crucial to the district’s inclusiveness. “The elevator installation obviously provides accessibility to students and staff and visitors with a temporary or permanent disability,” Testa said. “This allows us to comply with the ADA regulations.”

The playgrounds are inspected yearly, she said, and are safe, but by upgrading them, the district will ensure they are inclusive for all students. There are no public parks in North Bellmore, and the playgrounds serve as that community space.

Why now?

Testa said it was the responsibility of district administrators to present the findings of the building conditions survey to the Board of Education and make recommendations for any needed repairs.

The last time an HVAC overhaul was included in a bond vote was 2008, but it did not pass. “So we’re back again, now 14 years later, and at a little bit higher cost, of course, because the HVAC overhaul comes in at number one priority,” Testa said. “Whether it’s going to pass or not, this is something that this district will be looking at every single time we have a building condition survey.”

The addition of elevators was a “serious recommendation” by the architect who completed the survey, she said. “The elevators will continue to be something that’s recommended and required for us to look at and do.”

Impact on taxpayers

A home’s assessed value will determine how much district taxpayers can expect to pay annually if the bond passes in December. Jacqueline Rehak, the assistant superintendent for business, helped break down the costs at last week’s meeting.

The additional taxes on the average home in the district, which has an assessed value of $403,000, would be $16.47 per month, or $197.66 per year. According to a presentation given at the meeting, some taxpayers could end up paying an extra $40.87 per month, or $490.48 per year.

The assessed value of a home is found on its residents’ tax receipts, Rehak said. “Your assessed value may change from year to year,” she explained, “so this impact will change based on your assessed value.”

The district has a sample impact calculator at NorthBellmoreSchools.org. Rehak said it is important to remember that the calculator doesn’t take factors like the state School Tax Relief, or STAR, program, or local tax exemptions into consideration.

“Don’t go by what you think your home value is,” she added. “Look at your actual tax receipt or tax bill and find that number, and put it in here to see what the tax impact would be for your own home.”

Some of the renovations will be eligible for state aid. A bond was pass in 2010, and at the time, the state aid rate was 54.5 percent over 15 years. Currently, the rate is 69.1 percent over 15 years.

The timeline for the projects is still being figured out, because the district will need to work out which buildings can be closed during the summer, and what work can be done while school is in session.

For the most up-to-date information about the bond resolution, go to NorthBellmoreSchools.org. All previous presentations, as well as photos from the building survey, are available for viewing under the Capital Projects tab.