Haverling board approves $18M building project
By ROB PRICE THE COURIER-ADVOCATE

BATH - Haverling school board members last week approved by a split vote an $18- million capital project designed to address a range of health and safety issues on the school campus, as well as security upgrades and basic maintenance issues.

Board member Rosalie Niemczyk cast the sole dissenting vote against the project, which school officials estimate would increase district residents' property tax bills by four cents per $1,000 of the market value of their properties.

Niemczyk, a member of a facilities committee charged with developing the parameters of the building project, said the project would add unnecessary debt to the school district's books.

"It's too expensive," Niemczyk said Thursday. "We already have a $44-million debt to pay off from the last capital project. We're adding $18 million to that. I'm like most residents who don't understand anything about rates and tax levies. We don't understand that, we understand debt."

If approved by voters, the building project would:

• Improve pavements and bus drop-off areas

• Replace roofs

• Reconstruct older classrooms to comply with state codes

• Install video cameras for campus security

• Install new ventilations systems

• Replace older kitchen equipment and infrastructure

Key to financing the project is special funding through the New York state Expanding Our Children's Education and Learning program. EXCEL funds combined with traditional state building aid will pay for nearly 95 percent of the building project, according to the school district. The remaining cost would be borne by the local tax levy.

Two public information meetings will precede the Dec. 18 vote. They have been scheduled for 7 p.m. Dec. 4 and Dec. 12.