By Andrew Coen
, the Hewlett-Woodmere school district is trying to keep the momentum of facility improvements going with two planned propositions on the May 15 budget ballot that will address capital needs.
Propositions to approve the use of 1,014,000 the district is entitled to under an Expanding Our Children's Education and Learning (EXCEL) grant that can be used to improve infrastructure in district buildings and to dedicate $2.4 million into a capital reserve fund are planned for the May 15 ballot. The Hewlett-Woodmere school board discussed the planned referendums - which will have no impact on residents' taxes - at their March 14 work session and is expected to adopt the propositions for the May 15 vote at their March 22 meeting.
While neither proposition will affect taxes, voter approval is required to allow the district to use the available funds for capital needs such as replacing windows and heating systems in various buildings. Hewlett-Woodmere residents approved the establishment of a capital reserve fund in 1997, and in 2004 voters gave the district the ability to transfer $1.5 million from that account for capital needs. That included replacement of the boiler at the Woodmere Education Center and repairing of science labs at Hewlett High School.
District officials said with the bond approval last December and improvements already planned for Woodmere Middle School this summer, the timing is right to try and use these available funds and go beyond the scope of what was approved by the December referendum. "The timing is great to do these things in a coordinated way," said Hewlett-Woodmere Superintendent Dr. Les Omotani at the March 14 work session of trying to address capital needs throughout the district at the same time. "If there is a right time to do it, this is it."
"This is the perfect moment," said Hewlett-Woodmere assistant superintendent for business Dr. Peter Weber of the two planned propositions.
In addition to bringing district buildings up to date by replacing windows, lighting and heating systems, Hewlett-Woodmere officials hope to provide the funds from the propositions to remove a LIPA tower in the front of Woodmere Middle School to improve traffic flow. Planned improvements from the December 12 referendum passage include roof replacement and a new gym addition at Woodmere Middle School as well as renovation of numerous other rooms in the facility. Roof replacement at Ogden Elementary School, renovation of the Franklin Early Childhood Center cafeteria, an upgrade of the Hewlett Elementary School auditorium and improvements to the Hewlett High School tennis courts and community pool are also planned.
District officials intend to hire Johnson Controls $4.7 million in a shared energy savings (ESCO) agreement to allow extra work to be done at Woodmere Middle School, including replacing the facility's boiler and adding new lighting. Under the ESCO agreement both Johnson Controls and the district would work closely together to assure that yearly energy savings would result from the work conducted. The tactic would not impact taxes. "What [the ESCO) will enable us to do is to go a little beyond the referendum than we thought," said Dr. Weber. "We're very excited about this."
The Hewlett-Woodmere school board will also soon adopt their proposed budget for 2007/08 to appear on the May 15 ballot with the capital reserve fund and EXCEL propositions. A Citizens Public Budget Forum is scheduled for March 27 at 7:30 p.m. to receive input on the proposition before the school board adopts it for the May 15 ballot.
Comments about this story? Acoen@liherald.com or 516-569-4000 ext. 210.
