Port Washington Board of Education trustees on Tuesday approved a $69.9 million capital bond proposal that is set to go before a public vote on March 10.
The $69,877,198 bond – which trustees said would be put toward increasing space at the district’s seven schools and various repairs – was approved unanimously amid skepticism expressed by residents who questioned why the work could not be included in annual budgets.
“It’s just a way to circumvent the budget, and that’s wrong,” said Frank Russo, the president of the Port Washington Educational Assembly.
Russo was among several residents who cited a Jan. 12 Newsday editorial that said winter bond votes are “blatantly disrespectful to taxpayers, who are not paying attention but still must foot the bill.”
Trustee Alan Baer, whose board assignments include coordinating the district budget, disputed the accusations, saying more than $36 million of the proposal would go toward expanding space to accommodate projected enrollment increases.
“We need to lose the idea that this is just patching roofs,” Baer said.
Trustee William Hohauser said he was offended by e-mails he received from residents critical of the board’s process in formulating the proposal, alleging that trustees had been accused of conspiring with organized crime syndicates.
“It is remarkable the spite of the e-mails that we received and frankly considering the time and effort this board and administration have put into [the proposal], it is also incredibly disrespectful for people to say we haven’t invited participation from the community, because nothing could be further from the truth,” he said.
The capital plan was first introduced in May 2014. Information sessions, public meetings and facilities tours have been offered in the time since, officials said.
Projects were considered based on the suggestions of the board, the district’s professional and administrative staffs, community groups and the Patchogue architectural firm BBS Architects & Engineers.
Trustees have said the bond would be paid over a 20-year period and that homeowners would see a median $101 increase on their school taxes during the first seven years of the bond.
“The path that led to this bond resolution this evening was very simply a response to our administration and community regarding the condition of our facilities and lack of space in our classrooms,” board President Karen Sloan said reading from a prepared statement following the vote.
“It is our role as a governing body to the school district to look into capital improvements project that would rectify to areas of disrepair and allow for ever-increasing enrollment,” she continued.
The proposal consists of projects the board defined as “facility needs” and “spatial needs.”
“Facility needs” make up most of the capital plan, officials said.
The projects consist of minor repairs, reconstruction efforts and renovations, as well as the construction of two multipurpose athletic fields, upgrades to science labs at Carrie Palmer Weber Middle School and Paul D. Schreiber Senior High School and the formation of at least one science lab at each elementary school, various technological and security upgrades and the installation of air conditioning in at least one large common space at each school.
The vote on the bond will take place March 10 in the all-purpose room at Carrie Palmer Weber Middle School.
