$2.9M Bond Vote Scheduled For 'Needed' Elementary School Upgrades

REMSENBURG, NY — Residents will turn out Tuesday for a bond vote that could pave the way for "needed" repairs and upgrades at the Remsenburg-Speonk Elementary School.

The vote, which takes place on Oct. 23, will give residents the opportunity to weigh in on the proposed bond referendum; according to the district, the proposed scope of work was determined following a building conditions survey conducted by the district’s architect and recommendations from the site-based advisory team including parents, residents, board of education members, administration and staff.

While regular maintenance to the district’s 52-year-old school has been done annually, the bond will fund major repairs and the replacement of equipment that has outlived its life expectancy, is no longer cost-efficient or reliable, impacts safety and security or is no longer in compliance with the most current codes, the district said.

Approximately 40 percent of the bond will be used to replace the school’s flat and pitched roofing system and accessories.

The total cost of the proposed work is $3,365,300 — and, due to the tax levy cap, the proposed work is "too costly to include in the annual budget without significantly impacting taxes or student programs," district officials said.

A total of $458,658 in community-approved capital reserve funds will be used to reduce the amount borrowed to $2,906,642, which will lower the cost to taxpayers, the district said, with the average tax increase approximately $87 per year, or approximately $7.25 per month.

For more information regarding the bond, visit the district’s website. The vote will take place on Tuesday, Oct. 23, from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m., at the Remsenburg-Speonk Elementary School, located at 11 Mill Rd. in Remsenburg.

Patch photo courtesy Remsenburg-Speonk UFSD.