SV Facilities Advisory Committee Resumes Work

An advisory committee, established to review the facilities needs of the Susquehanna Valley Central School District, is up and running again. At its reorganizational meeting in October the Facilities and Capital Improvement Committee began by establishing its game plan and mission statement.

The committee will work with district officials and the architectural/engineering firm Bearsch Compeau Knudson (BCK) to:
• Review the District Building Condition Survey
• Review the Five Year Capital Facilities Plan
• Review other capital facilities issues/concerns
• Establish priorities
• Plan for related capital projects and associated referendums supporting the program needs of our students for consideration by the board.

The committee, comprised of district residents, board of education members, district administrators and staff, is reviewing existing facilities documents based on previously conducted building condition surveys. BCK has presented information on school capital construction projects that focused in part on the $2.6 billion EXCEL program approved as part of the 2006-07 NYS budget. SV qualifies for approximately $6 million in EXCEL (Expanding Our Children’s Education and Learning) aid. EXCEL aid can only be used for projects that improve technology, enhance health and safety, improve facilities accesibility, expand physical capacity, and/or enhance energy conservation.

Superintendent of Schools Gerardo Tagliaferri said the work being done by the committee is critical to the future of the school district. “It’s very encouraging to see district residents and school staff working together to develop strategies to address some real needs in terms of our facilities and infrastructure. In the months to come, their work will set the stage for this district to take advantage of the EXCEL program and address other work that may be necessary in the near future,” said Tagliaferri.

The Committee will conduct regular meetings and provide updates to the superintendent’s office, which will then report to the board. You can access minutes from those meetings by clicking the links below.