AUBURN - Taxpayers may have to wait until June to vote on the Auburn Enlarged City School District's proposed capital project.
The Board of Education's Long Range Planning Committee discussed on Thursday moving the vote from its proposed date of May 20 - the date of school budget and board of education vote - to June 26. Under this timeline, the board will be voting on the resolution at the April 23 board meeting.
“We're not trying to hide anything from the public. That's the furthest thing from what we're trying to do,” Superintendent Joseph D. “J.D.” Pabis said. “We're trying to not convolute when they go in and they are going to be voting for candidates that date and voting for the budget. If it's something that's special, let's put it out there on a special date.”
Committee Chair Michael Stearns agreed with the project being separated from the budget and school board elections.
“It gives people the opportunity, in my opinion, to focus on the school budget and focus on the candidates they need to elect. That's really critical,” he said. He added that having the vote in June gives voters another month to learn about the project before they have to decide.
The board is proposing a near $15.7 million project dealing with school infrastructure, energy efficiency and technology as well as renovations at Holland Stadium, including the installation of synthetic turf.
In past committee meetings, board members have alluded to the possibility of people donating $170,000 to cover the local share for the installation of turf.
Pabis went further on Thursday. He said obtaining the local share for turf is another reason for moving the vote to June.
“What I'm trying to do and what we collectively said is to take the turf issue completely out by having the local share funded by endowments, personal contributions, foundations, and to take that out of the equation,” he said.
Any money on hand being used for a capital project must be spelled out in the resolution, he said. By moving the vote to June, the board will not have to vote on the resolution until April, buying him just under months to secure that money.
Also determining the timeline is a proposal from Gov. Eliot Spitzer. According to Business Administrator Marianne O'Connor, Spitzer has said the formula for state aid on any capital project would change if school districts did not vote and approve the project before July 1. While O'Connor isn't sure how much money the district would lose should authorization take place following the deadline, she made it clear to board members that it was not worth losing that incentive aid.
“We can't afford to lose any options,” Stearns said, “so understood.”
Staff writer Alyssa Sunkin can be reached at 253-5311 ext. 239 or alyssa.sunkin@lee.net
“We're not trying to hide anything from the public. That's the furthest thing from what we're trying to do,” Superintendent Joseph D. “J.D.” Pabis said. “We're trying to not convolute when they go in and they are going to be voting for candidates that date and voting for the budget. If it's something that's special, let's put it out there on a special date.”
Committee Chair Michael Stearns agreed with the project being separated from the budget and school board elections.
“It gives people the opportunity, in my opinion, to focus on the school budget and focus on the candidates they need to elect. That's really critical,” he said. He added that having the vote in June gives voters another month to learn about the project before they have to decide.
The board is proposing a near $15.7 million project dealing with school infrastructure, energy efficiency and technology as well as renovations at Holland Stadium, including the installation of synthetic turf.
In past committee meetings, board members have alluded to the possibility of people donating $170,000 to cover the local share for the installation of turf.
Pabis went further on Thursday. He said obtaining the local share for turf is another reason for moving the vote to June.
“What I'm trying to do and what we collectively said is to take the turf issue completely out by having the local share funded by endowments, personal contributions, foundations, and to take that out of the equation,” he said.
Any money on hand being used for a capital project must be spelled out in the resolution, he said. By moving the vote to June, the board will not have to vote on the resolution until April, buying him just under months to secure that money.
Also determining the timeline is a proposal from Gov. Eliot Spitzer. According to Business Administrator Marianne O'Connor, Spitzer has said the formula for state aid on any capital project would change if school districts did not vote and approve the project before July 1. While O'Connor isn't sure how much money the district would lose should authorization take place following the deadline, she made it clear to board members that it was not worth losing that incentive aid.
“We can't afford to lose any options,” Stearns said, “so understood.”
Staff writer Alyssa Sunkin can be reached at 253-5311 ext. 239 or alyssa.sunkin@lee.net
The Citizens' Say
There are 1 comment(s)
oldtimer wrote on Feb 29, 2008 5:05 PM:
going to Vote on their "Turf" !!!! "