Chappaqua Brings $42.5M Schools, Library Facilities Improvement Plan to Voters

The Chappaqua Board of Education will send a $42.5 million bond referendum to voters on June 14.

The plan is tax-neutral, district officials said.

The administration wants to improve infrastructure, upgrade fields, enhance the Chappaqua Public Library, and build flexible, research-supported, intentionally-designed learning environments to keep Chappaqua schools at the forefront of education.

Projects include transforming current spaces into global learning centers (21st century libraries), STEAM labs and instructional centers, renovating the high school auditorium and elementary school playgrounds, and installing an environmentally-friendly turf field and lights at Horace Greeley High School and Bell Middle School. At the Chappaqua Public Library, plans include a new adult quiet area and meeting spaces, a dedicated teen zone, a café, and family bathrooms to accommodate care-givers and strollers.

“Every child in every building will benefit from the projects being proposed in this bond,” said Dr. Lyn McKay, Superintendent of Chappaqua Schools. “The time is right for proposing a bond now because we have the unique opportunity to keep our bond tax neutral and save money in the long-term.”

A timing issue prevented the bond vote from being on the same day as the budget vote/board elections, which are May 17 this year.

The required Environmental Quality Review was not completed by the state until March 25, and then it was approved by the Board of Education at its March 30 meeting.

Then, at the April 6 Board of Education Meeting, there was a presentation made by the District’s municipal advisor regarding the financing of a proposed bond, so it was at the April 13 meeting that the Board passed a resolution calling for a Special District Meeting on Tuesday, June 14, 2016, to vote on a $42.5 million tax neutral Bond Proposition.

Proper legal notice for a bond referendum must be done 45-49 days prior to a scheduled bond referendum, which made the first possible day to hold Chappaqua's referendum May 28th -- a Saturday and 11 days past the May 17 budget vote and board elections, district officials said.

June 14th also gives the community more time to review the bond proposal and to ask questions, they said.

"Revenue-neutral" means that property owners would not have to pay additional taxes for debt service on the bond, district officials said. That's because given the structure of annual payments, the debt service line of the budget would be offset by the funding sources -- e.g., State Building Aid, a reduction of annual capital outlay by $475,000, reduction in debt service payment beginning in school year 2023-24, and the sale of properties.

“If we do not have a bond referendum now, we will have budget increases later to specifically address our aging buildings and State Education requirements," said John Chow, Assistant Superintendent for Business. "In addition, at this time interest rates are low and New York State will reimburse us for 1/3 of the cost of each approved project over the next 15 years.”

Please click here to learn more about the bond proposal and here to see schematics.

ILLUSTRATION: Plan for new library at Horace Greeley High School/CCSD