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ESM School Board sets community vote for bond resolution
The Eastport-South Manor School District’s Board of Education has adopted a bond resolution outlining a comprehensive facilities improvement plan, which will be put before voters on Wednesday, Feb. 2. Polls will be open between 6 am and 9 pm in the Board Room 1220 at Eastport-South Manor Junior-Senior High School.
If approved by the community, each of the district’s school buildings will see considerable building improvements to both infrastructural and instructional spaces. The projects include significant security updates at the entrances of the each of the elementary schools, enhancements to instructional spaces including art, science, technology and libraries, and flooring, masonry and restroom updates to aid building efficiency. Additionally, the auditorium and theater spaces at the Junior-Senior High School will be updated to support the district’s robust arts program. Athletic spaces, including the outdoor fields, wrestling room, weight room, locker room and dance studio will also be modified to benefit the needs of the district’s student-athletes of all ages. To address structural deficiencies, the asphalt shingle roof at the Junior-Senior High School will be replaced with a metal roof and mechanical updates will be made to address heating, air conditioning and ventilation challenges.
“This proposed project comes as a result of months of planning and analysis and with strong guidance from our facilities committee,” said Board of Education President, Michael Byrnes. “The work will not only benefit current students but future generations of ESM scholars. By putting the projects together in a bond, we are able to make substantial updates to our schools while limiting the local financial impact. As a result of our high state aid reimbursement the vast majority of the project will be covered by New York State.”
The total anticipated cost of the project is $89.9 million. Of this amount, 72% will be funded through New York State building aid, bringing the real local cost of the project to be approximately $32.4 million.
“A large focus of this project is working to address the key infrastructural needs of our buildings but also reimagining spaces to enhance the educational program and offerings we provide for our Eastport-South Manor students,” said Superintendent of Schools, Joseph Steimel. “The initial impact on taxes will be offset in future years through retiring debt, which will bring a decrease in the tax impact over the life of the bond.”
For more information about the bond, including tax impact on the average ESM homeowners, please visit the Bond information page.
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