Capital Project Proposed in Saranac Central School District
January 11, 2010
Saranac school officials are asking taxpayers to approve a nearly $18 million capital-improvement project.
They stress aid will cover the majority of costs, and what little is left for taxpayers will largely be made up through long-term savings related to energy and technology upgrades.
"We are hoping the community sees the wisdom of our planning," said Saranac Central School Superintendent Kenneth Cringle. "This is in the best interest of students as well as taxpayers."
Cringle and his staff reviewed projected maintenance and repair items, as well as needed upgrades to district buildings, presenting the information to the School Board. Board members opted to ask community members to consider a $17.5 million energy, technology and facility capital project.
The district will receive $583,878 in EXCEL funding for the project, which qualifies for 90-percent reimbursement from New York state. EX CEL funding and such state aid can be used by districts only for capital-improvement projects.
"Essentially, by utilizing the EXCEL aid and having 90 percent state-aid reimbursement on the project, there shouldn’t be any immediate impact on taxpayers for the next few years," Cringle said. "We anticipate no increase in our current debt-service payment."
Roughly 80 percent of the project is energy and technology related.
"The needed energy improvements will reduce future heating and lighting costs for years to come," Cringle said.
He pointed out that the heating systems in Saranac and Morrisonville are nearly 50 years old, and daily maintenance costs and the poor condition of the equipment demand replacement.
Work at Saranac Middle/High School would include boiler, water-heater and lighting replacements; roof reconstruction; masonry restoration; sidewalk installation; building-control system upgrades; and replacing of the announcement, master-clock and fire-alarm systems.
At Morrisonville Elementary School, the district would replace boilers, windows and bleachers; refinish metal lockers; install new fencing; upgrade playing fields; convert bathrooms to comply with the Americans with Disability Act; upgrade building-control systems; and replace public-announcement, master-clock and fire-alarm systems.
The lighting system, roof and fire-alarm systems would be replaced at the bus garage, and the district would upgrade the building-control system and install fencing and a push-button door to satisfy the Americans with Disability Act.
Work at Saranac Elementary School would include replacing boilers, the lighting system, fire alarms and the public-announcement and master-clock systems. The district would further upg rade the building-control system, install a handicap lift for the stage, upgrade playgrounds, restore masonry and build a 3,000 square-foot classroom addition.
District-wide technology improvements include interactive white boards, a wireless network, upgrades to a network switch and integrating access control.
"This project is cost-effective, practical and prudent," Cringle said. "Hopefully voters realize maintaining a facility is really important.
"Future energy savings will be significant."
He said the district office is 6,100 square feet, and the proposal is to relocate it to reduce maintenance, heating and electricity costs. The addition at Saranac Elementary would also include a Pre-K classroom.
"It is a very modest expansion," he said.
Plus, Cringle and others now located at the building in Dannemora must move because the district has reached a preliminary deal to sell the facility.
He stressed that utilizing EXCEL funds to offset taxpayers’ immediate costs and the district’s aid ratio of 90 percent determined the scope of the project. He added that any savings does not mean the project is free, as the school debt will be extended over 15 years.
"When the board went into this project, the goal was to not add any immediate debt or extra tax burden to our residents," Cringle said. "We can’t have that during these times."