Although the Cato-Meridian Central School District will ask voters to authorize some school infrastructure improvements next month, it won't ask for any taxpayer money to fund it.
The district is asking taxpayers to go to the polls Tuesday, Dec. 9 to voice their opinion on a proposed EXCEL project dealing exclusively in asbestos abatement and reconstruction.
Currently there is about 14,500 square feet of asbestos-containing flooring and ceiling in 18 middle school classrooms and 10,500 square feet of asbestos-containing ceiling in the middle school corridor. The presence of asbestos prevents maintenance in and around those areas.
“The custodians' hands are tied until we can remove that asbestos in the classrooms,” Superintendent Deborah Bobo said.
The district received $1.745 million last year in state aid through Excel, or Expanding our Children's Education and Learning, which is available to state school districts performing upgrades to technology, accessibility, health and safety, energy efficiency or expansion of instructional space.
Bobo said the district set aside a small portion of that allotment as a contingency as it installed a security entrance at the elementary/middle school campus, new bathrooms in classrooms, lighting and security cameras. Additionally, bids came in lower than expected, and through that and additional state aid, enough money was saved to do the asbestos abatement.
While voters must approve the proposed project for it to happen, there will be no local cost to taxpayers.
Bobo said she understands that this may not be a good time to go out for a vote, but there is a benefit to doing the abatement now.
“It's an excellent chance for something to be done to the middle school so this is taken care of,” she said. “It's never coming out of the general fund; that would be exorbitantly expensive. So this is something we need to offer to the community and hopefully they choose to do it.
“If they don't, considering the climate of New York state, it's totally understandable, but I'm hoping they see the benefit.”
Polls will be open from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. Tuesday, Dec. 9 in the middle school auditorium, Route 370, Meridian.
Currently there is about 14,500 square feet of asbestos-containing flooring and ceiling in 18 middle school classrooms and 10,500 square feet of asbestos-containing ceiling in the middle school corridor. The presence of asbestos prevents maintenance in and around those areas.
“The custodians' hands are tied until we can remove that asbestos in the classrooms,” Superintendent Deborah Bobo said.
The district received $1.745 million last year in state aid through Excel, or Expanding our Children's Education and Learning, which is available to state school districts performing upgrades to technology, accessibility, health and safety, energy efficiency or expansion of instructional space.
Bobo said the district set aside a small portion of that allotment as a contingency as it installed a security entrance at the elementary/middle school campus, new bathrooms in classrooms, lighting and security cameras. Additionally, bids came in lower than expected, and through that and additional state aid, enough money was saved to do the asbestos abatement.
While voters must approve the proposed project for it to happen, there will be no local cost to taxpayers.
Bobo said she understands that this may not be a good time to go out for a vote, but there is a benefit to doing the abatement now.
“It's an excellent chance for something to be done to the middle school so this is taken care of,” she said. “It's never coming out of the general fund; that would be exorbitantly expensive. So this is something we need to offer to the community and hopefully they choose to do it.
“If they don't, considering the climate of New York state, it's totally understandable, but I'm hoping they see the benefit.”
Polls will be open from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. Tuesday, Dec. 9 in the middle school auditorium, Route 370, Meridian.
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