Repairing and Renovating Croton­-Harmon Schools: Bond Vote 

CROTON-ON-HUDSON, NY — The Croton-Harmon school district community will vote Oct. 18 on a comprehensive facilities plan for its three schools, plus the main office and transportation facility.

The district community includes the village of Croton-on-Hudson, and parts of the towns of Yorktown, Cortlandt and Ossining.

The $20,820,000 proposition would not raise property taxes, according to the Board of Education, because the district is retiring existing debt. The new debt service associated with the proposed bond referendum will essentially replace the older debt service which is being retired. Due in part to current low interest rates, it is anticipated that the new debt service will be approximately $1.6 million; the old debt service was $3.2 million.

Due to these factors, and because New York's state school aid program would reimburse the district for about 41 percent of the capital projects' cost, approval of a $20.82 million bond would not raise taxes for residents, officials said.

The work would be complete by 2021.

Facility improvements to be covered through the bond were determined after a series of public meetings and site visits with administrators, the school board and the district's architects. The projects cover about half the work identified in the district's ongoing Five Year Plan, looking at the aging infrastructure, state mandates and an evolving educational program, district officials said. Doing all that work would cost about $45 million.

What's in the plan includes some system-wide repair and renovation, including heating, ventilation, air-conditioning systems, parking lots and pathways, septic systems and the creation of modern learning spaces; replacing walls and exterior windows at Carrie E. Tompkins Elementary School; an innovation and design lab at Pierre Van Cortlandt Middle School; and replacing the Croton Harmon High School fire alarm system.

For CET, the work includes

• 3rd & 4th grade window/curtain wall replacement
• Replace unit ventilators with central rooftop energy recovery unit system and ductless air-conditioning
• Replace storefront glass walls in 1st grade and office window walls with insulated panels
• Replace casework (including student cubbies and sinks) in 1st grade wing
• Replace air handlers in gymnasium
• Upgrade HVAC (heating, ventilation & air conditioning) in nurse’s office
• Provide powered ventilation in 1954 building crawlspace
• Pave parking lots
• Install additional lights on exterior of building

Proposed for PVC:

• Create Innovation & Design Lab to support technology, engineering and design
• Provide powered ventilation for rooms 221, 223, 224, 307, 308, 309, 319 and crawlspace
• Add interior guardrails to 22 windows in library
• Partial replacement of 77 year old steam piping and installation of steam isolation valves
• Provide fire dampers in classroom exhaust shafts
• Replace ceiling in 1939 gymnasium
• Provide sound reducing enclosure for rooftop chillers
• Upgrade lighting, retaining wall, concrete, wood and brick steps and sidewalks in various locations

Proposed for CHHS:

• Library – reconfigure space created from partial elimination and relocation of books/stacks. Add new
• finishes, acoustic improvements, paint and carpet to create a collaborative environment for students and
• teachers
• Provide upgraded ventilation in 1924 building
• Replace casework in Art rooms
• Upgrade fire alarm system
• Partial replacement of 92 year old steam piping and installation of steam isolation valves
• Replace gymnasium floor and bleachers
• Upgrade multi-use toilet rooms. Renovate/replace all finishes, fixtures and add new plumbing
• Provide ventilation and air conditioning system in Community Room
• Repair stone walls along the perimeter of the school
• Replace burners on steam boilers

For the district's transportation facility, the plan would:

• Upgrade septic system
• Paint and/or repair exterior metal siding of original building
• Replace underground storm drainage

And for the district offices, the plan would:

• Replace roof top heating/cooling units
• Renovate lobby to create storage and additional office space
• Repair exterior stucco

District officials have scheduled several upcoming public forums about the bond proposition, as well as tours of all the schools so that residents can see the needs and understand the scope of work:

Community Meeting: Oct. 6th
7:30pm CHHS Community Room
(Doors Open at 7:00pm - Refreshments)
Building Tours: Oct. 6th
CET- 6:15pm PVC- 6:45pm
CHHS- 9:00pm
BOE Black Cow Meeting: Oct. 8th
Building Tours: Oct. 15th
CHHS- 11:30am
PVC- 12:00pm
CET- 12:45pm
BOE Black Cow Meeting: Oct. 15th
BOND VOTE: Oct. 18th
6am - 9pm in the CHHS Gymnasium

Residents are also invited to view information about the scope of the proposition and the facilities capital plan on the district website:

• Capital Projects Bond Referendum Flyer
• Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
• Voter Registration Information (Click Here)
• Application for Absentee Ballot
• Proposed Capital Projects BOE Presentation Video: Sept. 15th, 2016
• Proposed Capital Projects Presentation Sept. 15th, 2016
• CHUFSD-KSQ 5-Year Capital Facilities Plan Aug. 4th, 2016
• BOE Bond Resolution- Aug. 4th, 2016

Images courtesy Croton-Harmon School District