What will this do to my taxes?
The
Capital Project in not anticipated to cause a tax increase. This is
possible because the district has existing debt which will soon be paid
off. The cost of the project can take the place of the retiring debt.
The
current availability of New York State Building and Excel Aid and low
interest rates enhance the opportunity to protect our community’s
investment in our school buildings.
How much will all this cost?
The
voters are being asked to approve $14.4 million for the Capital
Project. It is anticipated that 76 percent, or about $10.9 million, of
the proposed Capital Project will be funded with New York State Building
and Excel Aid. The remaining $3.5 million has been strategically
scheduled so retiring debt will offset a tax increase.
Why now?
After
years of Board and community discussion on the buildings’ needs, the
Board determined this to be proper timing for the Capital Project.
Interest rates are favorable and retiring debt will offset a large
portion of its local cost. Our buildings are old. Just like old houses,
schools need to be periodically upgraded to improve efficiency, prevent
system failure, avoid costly emergency repairs, and preserve their
structural and system integrity. As every homeowner and car owner knows,
preventative maintenance is more cost effective than paying the
inflated costs typically charged for emergency responses.By planning for
the project, the District also benefits from the competitive bidding
process, which is not possible in emergencies.
Can you promise the work won't go over budget, and what if it does?
The
voters are being asked to authorize $14.4 million. By law, the project
cannot exceed this amount, and the construction process will be managed
closely and carefully.
Will this interfere with instruction?
Most of the work would be done over summer months, so school will go on as usual.
Couldn't we wait?
The
items targeted for replacement have already deteriorated or have
reached the end of their expected and useful lives. The Board carefully
considered the risk of experiencing a major system failure – such as in a
roof or heating system. Emergency repairs are expensive and are seldom
eligible for State reimbursement. The current availability of State Aid
reimbursement and low interest rates, along with the ability to time
repayment with retiring debt, were major considerations in the Board's
decision to place the project before the voters at this time. The Board
is also concerned that costs for the work will increase in the future.
Will the hot water heating system and other upgrades mean energy savings?
One
of the main goals of the Capital Project is to maximize energy savings
and improve efficiency wherever possible. Most notably, replacing the
1955 Elementary steam heat system with an energy-efficient hot water
system will result in dramatic fuel savings of 25-30 percent in the
effected buildings. Antiquated kitchen equipment in the Middle/High
school kitchen will also be replaced with efficient models.
Who came up with the list of work?
The
District’s architects identified the proposed work in the
state-mandated Building Condition Survey, which is required every five
years. To keep the project tax neutral, the highest priority
infrastructure deficiencies in the areas of health/safety, energy
efficiency, and deteriorated building conditions were included.
Infrastructure concerns comprise a significant portion of the project
and include replacement of failing, outdated, and inefficient systems
and structures and high-priority health and safety improvements. Left
unaddressed, these issues could lead to failure, expensive emergency
repairs, and eventually compromise the safety of staff and students.
Why don’t we just include this work in the regular school budget?
The
operating budget and a capital project are independent of one another
and are funded differently. The work typically included in a Capital
Project is large scale and beyond what’s considered regular building
maintenance. The work is also too expensive to be funded through the
operating budget, which is the annual funding for teachers, textbooks,
programs, transportation, and the day-to-day costs of running a school.
New
York encourages districts to care for their buildings and invest in
infrastructure by offering a financial incentive called Building Aid. To
leverage Building Aid, voters must approve the project. Ellenville does
use some of its annual operating budget to address smaller scale
building needs that don’t qualify for State Aid reimbursement.
This is the first major project being brought to the voters since 2000.
What happens if the project is defeated?
In the event of a system failure repairs would be done on an emergency basis, and emergency work does not qualify for State Aid.