by Anthony Rifilato
The announcement at last week's school board meeting comes after numerous discussions and presentations held before the public, including a special meeting held on Dec. 4 to further review the facilities improvement project.
For over a year, the district has been evaluating the state of its infrastructure, ranging from necessary boiler replacements and field refurbishments to technology upgrades and building renovations, in light of state changes to building aid in 2002.
Citing low-interest rates, the board began looking into bonds as an alternative source of funding because the state now disperses funds for building projects over a 15-year period as opposed to giving a substantial reimbursement for a project -- 54 percent -- to the district the following school year.
While the board has held many informative meetings and given many opportunities for the public to inquire about the project, interest seems to have been lukewarm. Only two residents attended the special meeting on Dec. 4 and only one resident inquired at last week's meeting.
The $26.9 million figure would affect the 2005 budget and raise local taxes about 2 1/2 percent. The projects are expected to be completed in three years.
"Obviously we can't get to all of them [projects] in one year," said school Superintendent Kathy Weiss. "But we will do them."
The district said 70 percent of the cost will go towards capital-facilities improvements, which include $3.7 million for boiler replacements and $4.5 million for roof replacements district wide, and $1.7 million to replace windows at the middle school and high school.
A little over 18 percent will go toward capital-instructional improvements that would include $1.9 million to renovate science classrooms at the high school and middle school, which Weiss said require adequate labs.
The rest, 10.4 percent, will be used for technology upgrades, mostly district wide.
"This is fundamentally the buildings themselves and the infrastructure in each of them," said Edward Cigna, assistant superintendent for business and administrative services.
If the bond is approved in February, the building and architectural plans would be submitted to the state for its approval. There is also a bidding process, and the actual work isn't expected to begin for about 18 months after the bond is passed. The district would borrow half of the money in 2004-05 and the other half the following school year. The bond would be repaid over 12 years.
The first increase in taxes would come during the 2005-06 school year, which Cigna said would amount to $34 more a year if a resident's home is worth $300,000, which he said was the average price of a home based on the recent county reassessment.
For the 2006-07 school-year, Cigna said residents would pay $71 more a year, because that is when the district will make its first interest and principal payment for the money they borrowed in 2004-05. In 2007-2008, homeowners would pay $37 more. Over three years, the average homeowner could expect to pay about $142 more in school taxes.
"After that there will be no [new] impact in taxes," said Cigna.
The proposed costs of improvements have changed since the board formed a committee earlier this year in order to evaluate a proposal by an architectural and engineering firm, Melville-based H2M, which recommended improvements needed district wide.
In October, the board presented a larger proposal at an estimated cost of $28.9 million, which was scaled back after some items were reduced in cost or removed entirely, such as eliminating $80,000 for renovating the heating-ventilation system in the high school auditorium and $135,000 for ceilings at the middle school and the high school, though the latter will be included in a future budget.
At last week's meeting, board member B.A. Schoen attempted to amend the resolution when he asked the board that $80,000 be added for ventilation improvements at the high school auditorium, saying that because the proposal already includes ventilation improvements at the high school, it should be included.
"This is the chance to do something in the auditorium," said Schoen. "I really think this is our chance to do it."
While board Vice President Bill Edelman agreed with Schoen, saying that it is embarrassing during events at the auditorium to open doors because of the heat, he and other board members opposed the amendment and passed the resolution.
"I don't know what I'm buying for $80,000 and if it would be a noticeable relief," said board President James Scannell.
Cigna and Scannell said that the tax impact on residents would be greater, about five percent, if the district has to abide by the state's current building aid formula in order to improve its infrastructure over the years. Bonding also allows the district to complete the projects in a short time frame while receiving more state aid.
"There's a tremendous advantage," said Cigna. "We'll be able to get all these pieces [boilers, windows, etc.] done in three years."
A special district-wide election will be held on Feb. 4, 2004 from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. at the Baldwin High School gymnasium, when the community will be asked to approve the $26.9 million project.
