Repairing and Renovating 6 Schools in Harrison: Voters Decide in October

HARRISON, NY — Voters will decide Oct. 18 about a $46.5 million bond proposition that would cover needed repairs and renovations at all six schools in the Harrison Central School District without bringing additional cost to taxpayers.

"After much deliberation and careful long-term planning, we are able to reallocate existing dollars within the budget currently earmarked for capital improvements," the Board of Education said on the webpage introducing information about the Facilities Improvement Bond.

Selling bonds permits larger-scale projects than are possible in an annual budget. These particular projects are necessary to maintain the integrity of the district's buildings as well as to meet program needs, officials said. Some have been on hold for many years.

The borrowing plan will not be an additional expense on taxpayers because district officials decided to

transfer the appropriation for capital improvements in the annual budget ― currently about $2.6 million — to an annual debt service appropriation.

The district has long been recognized for its careful financial planning. HCSD is among only a handful of Districts in New York State to have achieved an AAA rating from Standard & Poor’s since 2006, officials pointed out.

Among the most pressing needs are health and safety improvements at Preston and Purchase elementary schools and at Louis M. Klein Middle School. Almost all the schools need to have their gas main header rebuilt or replaced.

At LMK, the outside of the building is crumbling and unsafe; and doors, windows and awnings leak. The auditorium hasn't been renovated since 1939. The multi-purpose playing field is worn out. The cafeteria is too small.

$24.89 million for LMK would cover facade replacement, roof replacement, window and door replacement. The school also needs a new sewer main, a new gas main and a rebuilt gas main header. Renovations would cover the auditorium and the cafeteria; and include a new multi-purpose field and track, bleachers, lighting and restrooms. The plan is to put a new grass field in unless engineering shows a turf field is possible.

At Harrison High School, there aren't enough classrooms for core courses and expanded academic offerings, and there isn't enough room for guidance counselors to maintain a caseload of 160 students each.

$8.11 million for HHS would include adding eight more classrooms, expanding the Guidance Center and renovating classrooms and storage for the music program, along with roof, window, masonry and chimney repair or replacement and rebuilding the gas main header.

The growth of the student body at Parsons Memorial elementary school has forced some creative accommodations, such as converting locker and storage areas, bathrooms and even a basement hallway to instruction space.

$6.56 million would cover adding a modern cafeteria at Parsons, with a music room and two classrooms above it, and renovating the old cafeteria into three classrooms. Needed building repairs include roof, masonry and windows and the gas main header. The bond would also cover an elevator compliant with federal and state regulations to accommodate access for the disabled.

Like Harrison's other elementary schools, the Harrison Avenue School is small, with undersized classrooms and a cafeteria so small that full food preparation is not possible.

$4.87 million would cover four new classrooms, an expanded cafeteria and kitchen with bathrooms nearby, essential work on masonry, chimney and windows, and eliminating classroom gas pipine while rebuilding the gas manifold.

The Preston School needs less money for expansion because the last approved school construction bond included funding for its new library and cafeteria and additional classrooms, as well as extensive renovations.

$1.67 million at Preston would cover roof, chimney, masonry and window work, and replacing the gas main header.

The Purchase School was also extensively renovated through the last bond, including an upgraded gym/auditorium. But the building needs essential repair work.

$797,463 would cover replacing part of the roof and some of the windows, fixing or replacing some of the masonry, and replacing the gas main header.

More information about the bond can be found on the district's website, including this FAQ, a detailed PowerPoint presentation, and renderings of the work proposed for each school.

Vote at your local elementary school. Polls will be open 7 a.m. to 9 p.m. Oct. 18.

IMAGE: rendering of Parsons Memorial School with addition/ HCSD