Every building would see improvements; there would be no tax impact from the project

The Board of Education is considering a capital proposal that would make many improvements for things that won’t be noticed – things like roofs, furnaces and public address systems – but are still important for the continued health of the buildings.

The 2018 capital project, which is being completed now, included many visible items, such as the all-purpose synthetic field, upgrading grass athletic fields and upgrading auditoriums at the middle school and high school.

This new proposal, which will ideally be considered by the community during voting on May 18, would not affect the school tax rate because of debt service being retired at the same time.

Architect Matt Schools from the SEI Design Group reviewed aspects of the proposal at the Board of Education’s October 5 meeting.

Here are the items he pointed to with estimated construction costs (not including architects, design and other costs):

High School – $2.6 million
• Heating system conversion from steam to hot water
• Replacement of aging mechanical units
• Public Address system replacement
• Area ‘C’ sidewalk replacement/ stormwater catch basin repair

Middle School – $1.4 million
• Parking reconstruction/ sidewalk replacement / bus drive improvements
• Small gym upgrades
• Public Address system replacement

Glendaal Elementary School – $2.2 million
• Roof replacement
• Parking lot reconstruction
• Sidewalk repair
• Masonry repairs
• Public Address system replacement

Glen-Worden Elementary School – $3 million
• Roof replacement
• Heating system conversion from steam to hot water
• Boiler replacement
• Sidewalk, ramps, railings replacements
• Masonry repairs
• Public Address system replacement

Lincoln Elementary School – $221,000
• Sidewalk repair
• Public Address system replacement

Sacandaga Elementary School – $1.5 million
• Sidewalk / steps / ramps replacement
• Replacement of aging mechanical units and upgrade controls
• Public Address system replacement

Schools said he expects that 95% of the projects would be eligible for state aid reimbursement. SG receives 74.3% state aid reimbursement, which means that 74.3 cents of every dollar spent on these projects is returned
in building aid.

He said he would hope that the Board of Education would approve the final concept design, scope and budget by December with preliminary designs and budgets approved in February.

He assumed the state Education Department would review the project, if approved, from September 2021 to January 2022 with bidding being done in January-March 2022 and construction beginning in April 2022. The bulk of this project would be completed in the summers of 2022 and 2023.