Shoreham-Wading River capital improvement bond vote today
Shoreham-Wading River School District residents will head to the polls today to vote on a capital improvement referendum to issue $33.5 million in bonds and to use another $15 million in reserves for additional construction work.
The combined $48.5 million construction project includes urgent upgrades to windows and doors as well as fixing leaky roofs and making facilities handicapped accessible. It also involves plans to add elementary classrooms and build a cafeteria and kitchen in the middle school that would provide meals for the elementary schools.
The bond committee was formed in April, shortly after the district’s crumbling tennis courts were deemed hazardous and shut down.
If the bond is approved, said Glen Arcuri, assistant superintendent of finance and operations for the district, the average homeowner will pay about $360 more per year over the bond’s term, starting in the 2018-19 school year.
District superintendent Steven Cohen said the terms of the bond will be 15 years. However exact interest rates won’t be known until the district actually borrows the money. The life of the improvements are expected to last 30 to 40 years.
The measures are split into two separate bond proposals because $15 million will be paid from state aid given to the district in prior years. Pending voter approval, the district would borrow the remaining $33.5 million — its first-ever bond.
Polls will be open from 7 a.m. to 9 p.m. in the high school’s auxiliary gym.
Here are some of the proposed construction projects voters will be asked to approve. For a complete list of proposed projects, visit swrschools.org.
HIGH SCHOOL: $13,340,460
Roofing: $1,817,961
Interior renovations: $1,258,249
Fields/tennis courts (reconstruction): $3,211,650
Windows: $1,316,750
HVAC: $1,432,500
Bleachers/gym equipment: $211,000
MIDDLE SCHOOL: $10,937,589
Roofing: $673,787
Building additions (classroom/kitchens/cafeterias): $3,722,882
Fields/tennis courts (reconstruction): $936,500
Windows: $992,500
HVAC: $550,000
Bleachers/gym equipment: $181,250
MILLER AVENUE: $12,039,134
Roofing: $2,022,000
Site work/parking (asphalt, curbs, sidewalks, paving, drainage): $2,520,247
Building additions: $4,629,629
Windows: $495,000
Flooring: $561,058
HVAC: $555,000
WADING RIVER: $11,700,574
Roofing: $725,280
Site work/parking (asphalt, curbs, sidewalks, paving, drainage): $2,665,021
Building additions: $5,600,563
Interior renovations: $930,060
Windows: $44,300
HVAC: $360,000
Fitness center: $526,870
Source: Shoreham-Wading River School District Oct. 1, 2014, presentation.