1.

Many district buildings are more than 50 years old and some infrastructure components have reached the end of their useful life. Additionally, other components are showing signs of deterioration and potential failure. The Facilities Advisory Committee (FAC), along with project architects and engineers, have worked for two years defining a cost-effective capital project addressing immediate infrastructure, and health and safety concerns. All items in this project are consistent with the normal capital construction maintenance of buildings this age. Please note that this project does not address all current district facilities needs; only items most immediately in need.

2.

The New York State Education Department (NYSED) requires school districts to complete two evaluations every five years: a Building Condition Survey and Report and a Long Range Plan for Educational Facilities (commonly referred to as the “Five Year Plan”). These reports, submitted in 2005, generated detailed remaining useful life estimates for all of our buildings and became the starting point for the capital project discussions. Since it typically takes four to five years from project inception to the end of construction, it is imperative to address the components with less than five years of expected life left as soon as possible. In addition, districts in New York State have been given a one-time incentive for capital construction under the EXpanding our Children’s Education and Learning (EXCEL) program. This incentive is a fixed allocation of funds; so the longer the district waits to use the funds, the more inflation erodes what can be achieved in the project.

3.

No. Due to construction and related costs, we can only undertake this type of work with the help of building aid from NYSED. For this proposed project, the state will aid more than 90% of eligible capital construction costs. The only way to receive building aid is to have a capital construction project approved. If the district had to address these items using its maintenance funds, district residents would bear the full cost of the construction. Below are two examples of eligible items that were repaired - due to their immediacy - using maintenance funds:

Richard T. Stank Middle School Main Drive Paving:
Construction Cost = $105,000; District Cost = $105,000; District Cost if it had been aided = $10,500
Susquehanna Valley High School Hot Water Storage Tanks Replacement:
Construction Cost = $20,000; District Cost = $20,000; District Cost if it had been aided = $2,000

4.

The FAC examined options for the elementary schools and determined that consolidation would not be cost effective. It would cost $33 million to build a new elementary school, with only $11.5 million in state aid - leaving a $21.5 million burden for taxpayers without addressing the needed upgrades for the high school, middle school, or other district buildings. If we built an addition to an existing school, it would cost more than $20 million, with a local tax burden of $11.2 million, which is three times greater than this proposed project’s local tax impact.

5.

No work is planned at Cedarhurst. The FAC initially looked at all elementary school buildings and evaluated the required infrastructure, and health and safety renovations. The current and projected enrollment of the district justifies the operation of two elementary schools. Cedarhurst would have cost the most to renovate and therefore was eliminated from the project. The FAC has recommended that the board of education investigate the sale or lease of the Cedarhurst building.

6.

The health and safety renovations in the project are required to be addressed by state and federal law (The State Education Department Manual of Planning, The Building Code of New York State and the Americans with Disabilities Act). The majority of these health and safety renovations deal with making our buildings accessible for children with disabilities. This is required by state law. Once renovations occur, any new construction has to meet building code regulations and ADA requirements. In addition, the project includes security upgrades for increased safety of the children and faculty.

7.

Voters will consider two propositions. Proposition I, the Capital Improvements Project, is for the construction associated with infrastructure, and health and safety improvements. Proposition II is to establish a Capital Reserve Fund, which will assist the district in adhering to the state mandated five year plan for facilities capital construction while minimizing the burden on local taxpayers. Similar to what other local districts have done, the Capital Reserve Fund can be used to offset the cost of future capital construction projects. For example: A Capital Reserve Fund of $100,000 can be used to generate $1 million of aid-eligible construction work at the district’s current state aid ratio with no additional tax burden on district residents. Note: The two propositions are separate and NOT dependent upon each other.

8.

If voters reject the proposed plan in December, the district’s facilities infrastructure, and health and safety issues will still need to be addressed. When any building components fail, the district will have to begin immediate repairs using money from the General Fund with no state aid. Other issues would need to be addressed in a future capital project.

9.

The Bus Maintenance Building, Grounds Shed, and Brookside Bus Shed all require infrastructure and life safety renovations. The work at the Bus Maintenance Building is eligible for building aid and will include upgrades to the existing structure. A new Maintenance Building will replace the Grounds Shed and the workshops at the Conklin Center building because the cost of consolidating in a new structure is less than the cost to renovate the existing areas. In addition, because the proposed Brookside Bus Shed is eligible for building aid, it will cost less for new construction than it would to renovate the existing open shelter.

10.

The last major capital project for the district was approved by voters in 1998 with approximately $19 million in work. If the same work were to be completed today, it would cost $31 million. The 1998 project was intended to be the first phase of a three phase improvement plan. Because of economic difficulties in the district, we did not pursue subsequent phases. Due to the lack of capital construction projects from then until now, the infrastructure, and health and safety renovations included are an immediate need. If delayed, this will only increase the cost for the same amount of work and postpone other less immediate needs not included in this project.

11.

Yes. The following are just three examples of several being utilized in the project:

Mechanical systems - The project not only utilizes new, more efficient components, such as boilers, but will also be controlled by a computer system that can monitor how the system is functioning. This will also involve better ventilation to the spaces and more precise control of temperature.
Electrical Systems - High efficiency light fixtures will be utilized reducing energy consumption and improving the quality of the light. In addition, occupancy sensors will be used.
Roof Replacement - The new systems will provide better insulation than the existing roof systems.

12.

Yes. Capital Reserve Funds have a defined term and it has since expired.

13. 

Varies depending on the bond up to 30 years. (Verify with District/Fiscal Advisors).

14. 

Vestal, Union- Endicott, Waverly, Maine-Endwell

15.  

Unfortunately, none. However, historically the State has not pulled the aid once the project documents have been approved.

16.    

Needs to be answered by Bonding Attorney.

17.   

The legal definition of a Capital Reserve Fund only states amount and term but any expenditure still has to be voter approved. The proposition to the voters at that time would have to state the intent of the construction.

18.    

The District has been maintaining the building systems as best they can annually. Unfortunately, several components have reached the end of their useful life, consistent with the age of the systems. The cost associated with the replacement is more than the maintenance budget can handle and is normally achieved with capital construction.

19.   

The new mechanical systems will be more efficient, however, due to building code requirements, more fresh air will be provided to occupied space and therefore more air will need to be heated. This higher demand on the more efficient equipment makes it difficult to anticipate if the total energy used will decrease or not.

20.    

The new and modified boiler systems will have redundancy.

21. 

The items in the project scope will eventually need to be done. We are trying to take advantage of available aid (EXCEL) currently in place. If we can use aid available now, improvements can be made at the least cost to school district residents.

22.

The Building Conditions Survey and the Five Year Plan are now required to be updated every five years by the State.

23.    

There are several contingencies built into the estimates and bidding process that would allow the District deal with inflation fluctuations or even undiscovered conditions that may arise during construction.

24.   

Not all the roofs are being replaced. Only the roof systems that have been previously repaired and have reached the end of their useful life are being replaced.

25.  

Even though many components of the mechanical system are being replaced, many existing components will remain and the system will function the same way. Adding air conditioning or cooling to the system would involve adding a significant amount of equipment and operational cost for something that is not currently required by necessity or building code.

26.    

Brookside Bus Shed- $645K, Grounds Shed- $549K, Bus Garage- $1.165M. If this work is not completed, the buildings still need to be utilized by the district and if any failures occur, the district would have to pay the full cost for repairs. The demolition costs of the Brookside Bus Shed and the Grounds Shed are included as part of Capital Project since they are being replaced.

27.    

The majority of construction will occur when the buildings are not occupied (Summer and 3^rd shift). When construction does have to take place during school hours, the areas will be temporarily separated from the occupied spaces.

28.    

There is no tax impact associated with Proposition II.

29.    

The Capital Reserve Fund expires. If there are funds in the reserve, the term can be extended or a new reserve can be established.

30. 

Needs to be answered by Jerry T.

31. 

See Public Meeting Q/A # 10 above.

32.    

How is the Capital Reserve Fund funded?

33.    

Given the current economic conditions will SED still fund the project?

34.    

If the state does not fund the aid that has been estimated for this project, then what happens? Concerned with losing both the state and EXCEL aid.

35.    

Where does the state get funding from to support school aid?

36.    

Why is air conditioning and access control on the list of necessary items?  Are these really necessary?

37.    

Is the five year plan going to be updated every year?

38.    

What type of risk mitigation is in place to address “unknowns” in the project?

39.    

How does the phase in for the tax impact work out over the three years and beyond?

40.    

There is no tax impact associated with Proposition II.