FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
How are we able to pay for the project with no additional tax impact?
School construction is normally paid for using two sources of money. Typically, part of the project is paid for with NYS building aid and the rest is paid for by the local community. In this case, the community’s share will be paid using a combination of money left from the last capital project, federal stimulus money, and money the district has put aside in a capital reserve. This allows us to do the work without raising additional taxes.
Why do we have to vote if we are not raising taxes?
The district is required to have voter approval for three purposes:
- To apply the funds in the capital reserve toward the project
- To apply the federal stimulus funds toward the project
- For any construction project that will require borrowing of funds. Any borrowing needed for this project will be offset by the state building aid portion of the funding.
How was work chosen to be included in the project?
The District Facilities Committee has worked with our architect and the district administration and staff to identify our needs and prioritize them according to five criteria:
- Energy Efficiency
- Health and Safety
- Americans with Disabilities Act Compliance
- Infrastructure Maintenance and Repair
- Program Needs
Proposed work, along with the criteria for selecting it, are listed under the link for Proposed Scope of Work.
How is NYS Building Aid affected by the economic conditions being faced at the state level?
The budget reductions at the state level do not include school building aid. By structuring the funding of the project in the way we have, the district will use money that is set aside for this specific purpose.
Why is the project divided into two proposals?
Proposition 1 contains work in all three schools that fits the criteria listed above. Once projects were identified, an analysis was done to determine the most cost-effective way of addressing the issue. For example, the cost of cooling the third floor of the middle school was reduced by 75% by using smaller, room-sized cooling units instead of a centralized system. In a few years, when declining enrollment dictates that we no longer need to use that space, the room-sized units can be used elsewhere in the district.
Proposition 2 asks voters to authorize replacement of the athletic lights on the football field. After reviewing the recommendations of the Facilities Committee, the Board reached consensus that this work meets the criteria for work to be included in the project (see below). It was however, the only aspect of the project for which the Board and administration were receiving mixed reaction from the community.
If either proposition is voted down, we cannot resubmit it to voters for 90 days. This would be too late to utilize the Federal Stimulus money by June 30. Including projected State Aid, we could lose up to a million dollars of the funding for this project. To lessen that risk, the Board decided to put the athletic lights in a separate proposition.
Criteria for Including Athletic Lights
Energy Efficiency—The lights are over 35 years old. With current technology, we can get brighter lighting without additional electrical costs.
Safety—Currently, the lights are mounted on wooden utility style poles. Because these poles are shorter, and because of their placement inside the track, they only light a limited area. By placing the lights outside the track and putting them on taller poles, a larger area of the field will be better lit, improving safety for players and spectators. Also, underground wiring is safer and more reliable in general.
Program—The fields meet the criteria of an existing program space that does not meet the standards expected in a typical high school. The field lights are used by a variety of teams and community groups (20 events under the lights in the fall of 2009), and the potential exists for other uses if the lighting is upgraded.
Infrastructure—Wooden light poles are more likely to shift and have other problems than metal poles. See the link below for more information about athletic lighting and why wooden light poles are no longer recommended. Metal light poles are also put together in sections, so that if indicated by future needs, they can be moved rather than replaced.
More Information About Athletic Lighting
If we are spending the money in the capital reserve, how will we pay for building maintenance or emergency repairs?
The capital reserve is a special account put aside to save money for significant capital projects. It requires voter approval to use that money, so it is not designed for any short term emergencies. Routine maintenance is a part of the regular operating budget. Depending on the circumstances, emergencies would be paid through the regular budget, our insurance coverage or other reserves that can be accessed for that purpose.