The bus garage in the Moravia Central School District needs more than a facelift. School officials say it requires a complete overhaul.
They're hoping taxpayers will agree.
The facility, built more than 30 years ago, is one of several items on a list for construction and upgrades administrators are looking to make as the school district advances its efforts toward a five-year, $20 million capital improvement project it hopes to put to voters by January.
The plan, on which administrators are working in conjunction with Hunt Engineers, includes several other projects and enhancements:
*Creating additional classroom space to accommodate full-day kindergarten classes.
*Replacing the roof at Millard Fillmore Elementary.
*Building an auditorium in the elementary school.
*Repairing the roof over the middle school gymnasium.
*Creating a fitness center at the high school.
*Partially resurfacing the parking lots at the elementary and high school, and potentially creating additional parking spaces at the football field.
"The bus garage is the main thing," school board president Terry Lamphier said. "It's to the point where if we get any new buses, they won't even fit."
In February 2003, school district residents voted down a multi-million dollar capital project the board had outlined in two proposals. There was a larger capital project that included upgrades to the bus garage, as well as improvements for existing heating and ventilation systems in the elementary schools. A slightly smaller project would have created a community weight and exercise room.
Taxpayers rejected both, saying at the time they perceived the school district's plans as misguided.
The bus garage's current state of disrepair, Lamphier said, makes the urgency to rebuild it second only to creating space at Millard Fillmore Elementary for full-day kindergarten classes.
State aid could fall between 83 and 89 percent of the project cost. Lamphier was unsure whether the district would move to take advantage of the state's one-time EXCEL grant, authorized specifically for capital projects. The funds are contingent on a variety of state criteria.
"As we go forward we're hoping we can get it," she said.
The school board will meet again Sept. 27.
Staff writer Olivia Goldberg can be reached at 253-5311 ext. 235 or olivia.goldberg@lee.net
The facility, built more than 30 years ago, is one of several items on a list for construction and upgrades administrators are looking to make as the school district advances its efforts toward a five-year, $20 million capital improvement project it hopes to put to voters by January.
The plan, on which administrators are working in conjunction with Hunt Engineers, includes several other projects and enhancements:
*Creating additional classroom space to accommodate full-day kindergarten classes.
*Replacing the roof at Millard Fillmore Elementary.
*Building an auditorium in the elementary school.
*Repairing the roof over the middle school gymnasium.
*Creating a fitness center at the high school.
*Partially resurfacing the parking lots at the elementary and high school, and potentially creating additional parking spaces at the football field.
"The bus garage is the main thing," school board president Terry Lamphier said. "It's to the point where if we get any new buses, they won't even fit."
In February 2003, school district residents voted down a multi-million dollar capital project the board had outlined in two proposals. There was a larger capital project that included upgrades to the bus garage, as well as improvements for existing heating and ventilation systems in the elementary schools. A slightly smaller project would have created a community weight and exercise room.
Taxpayers rejected both, saying at the time they perceived the school district's plans as misguided.
The bus garage's current state of disrepair, Lamphier said, makes the urgency to rebuild it second only to creating space at Millard Fillmore Elementary for full-day kindergarten classes.
State aid could fall between 83 and 89 percent of the project cost. Lamphier was unsure whether the district would move to take advantage of the state's one-time EXCEL grant, authorized specifically for capital projects. The funds are contingent on a variety of state criteria.
"As we go forward we're hoping we can get it," she said.
The school board will meet again Sept. 27.
Staff writer Olivia Goldberg can be reached at 253-5311 ext. 235 or olivia.goldberg@lee.net
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arthur wrote on Sep 17, 2006 10:33 AM:
Moravia school resident.... wrote on Sep 15, 2006 7:24 PM:
Mike from DC wrote on Sep 15, 2006 5:24 PM: