South Colonie Central School District residents will vote Tuesday, Oct. 21, to decide if the school district will get the $13.8 million funding for its capital project; a five-year, two-phase building plan announced earlier this year.
The project consists of plans to improve facilities and energy efficiency, health and safety repairs, and planned maintenance. District officials also want to update school technology to keep up with quickly developing high-tech instructional methods.
“We’re obviously hopeful that this project is successful,” said South Colonie Superintendent Jonathan Buhner. “It has some really important components in it from an instructional standpoint. It also allows us to maintain and address some regular capital issues — some issues related to normal wear and tear, and energy efficiencies.”
According to Buhner, most of the improvements and renovations, such as roofing and heating systems, are necessary. As well, Roessleville Elementary and Forest Park Elementary both have outdated and limited library facilities, while Colonie Central High School needs reconstructed and renovated music, art and technology classrooms and equipment.
“We tried to address immediate needs and instructional areas that we think we need to address for programming reasons,” said Buhner, “orchestra, STEM, art and the two libraries.”
In addition, the capital project includes a plan to make all South Colonie buildings WiFi accessible, so students and teachers can more easily access online learning materials. This would make way for possible implementation of a “bring your own device” policy in the future.
“This will allow our kids to use different technology to learn. These are things we just haven’t had the capacity for in the past,” Buhner said.
One of the largest concerns surrounding the project has been the potential impact on local taxes. District officials, however, have stated the timing of the project will allow local taxes to remain at a flat rate.
“You calculate in retiring debt, and you also calculate in state aid, so it helps us keep the local share flat,” said Buhner.
The district will receive state building aid reimbursement, which, with the project’s five-year plan, will help keep tax rates level.
While only phases one and two are being voted on this year, the project consists of two more phases to be publicly considered in fall 2019. The final two phases consist of similar maintenance needs and will undergo the same financial planning as the first half to keep local taxpayers’ shares even.
The district gave the first two phases a projected completion date of fall 2017 with construction beginning in summer 2015. The project is expected to be completed in 2022.
Buhner said that although the district’s facilities are well maintained, some renovations will eventually need to be completed for health and safety reasons.
“We’ve kept up our facilities,” said Buhner. “Even our older buildings are well maintained here. But if a roof failed, you’d have to address that roof through an emergency bond, which is not ideal.”
Replacements of the roofing system at Sand Creek Middle School and the boiler system at Roessleville Elementary, both on the agenda for the project budget, are only two examples of what may become a necessity in the future. Other additions, like more cameras around the schools, Buhner said, will be added for general safety.
“One of the things I always share with our community is that these are their buildings. We need to take care of the public’s property, like maintaining facilities to make sure they’re up to date,” Buhner said.
Voting for the capital project fund will take place at the district’s five elementary schools on Tuesday, Oct. 21, from 11 a.m. until 9 p.m. The results will be released later that night once the polls have been closed and all of the votes counted.
More information on the capital project, including an official newsletter, an in-depth look at the project outline, and an absentee ballot, can be found on the district’s website at www.southcolonieschools.org.
