March madness in Eldred

Building conditions, policies and budgets make for a busy night

By LISA CUTRONI

ELDRED, NY — When it comes down to it, it’s the welfare of the children that matters most to the Eldred Central School (ECS) board, not the bottom dollar.

Which is why Vincent Zike, ECS board president, told those in attendance at the March 9 meeting that the board was not in a rush to repair the 65-year-old Junior/Senior High School building.

“Over the last couple of months, we’ve been torn between what’s the best way to deal with this situation: repair the building, close the building or build a new building. And we’ve looked at all the different options and figures. We’re looking at a planned measure instead of having it thrust in front of us,” Zike said,

Zike said the best proposal was the recommendation made by Michael Lesick, educational consultant with Foit Albert, the engineering firm employed by the district.

According to Lesick, every school district has a building aid ratio. In the past, Eldred’s was 30 percent or less. Currently, that ratio has increased to 54.9 percent.

This would mean that if the district was to do a $16 million-dollar project as has been suggested, Charlie Ross, director of architect with Foit Albert, said that state aid could be as high as $8.2 million.

“You’re looking at almost half of the project being paid for by the state. So this is a very advantageous time from that point to consider the kind of project we’re looking at,” Lesick said.

With renovations, Martin Handler, BOCES district superintendent, said. “Usually, if you plan carefully, it will be fully funded.”

“If the board decides to go to the voters this calendar year, this is the aid ratio in place. If the voters approve this project at that time, and the project is approved by the state education department, you’re locked into that building ratio for the life of the project,” Lesick said.

The project, according to the Foit Albert representatives, would include a lengthy list of infrastructure upgrades and repairs found during the building conditions survey.

“The septic is worn. The pavement, sidewalks and tracks are deteriorating. The athletic field needs work. The exterior walls need cleaning and masonry work. The exterior doors need replacing. The windows, many of them original, need replacing, which would show a significant energy savings,” Ross said.

There are also familiar repairs. The building needs to be completely re-roofed. The electrical system and plumbing systems need to be replaced or upgraded. Also, Ross said, the school is not complying with the Americans with Disabilities Act, because the second floor is not handicap-accessible.

Zike informed attendees that the board was not looking for a quick fix, but was seeking substantial building improvements that would see the district into the future.

“We are not planning a fix of the building for today. We’re planning on fixing the building for the next 15 to 20 years. The 54 percent is on the table right now, that’s it. Next year, it might be 25 percent. Our intent is to do this near the end of this calendar year,” Zike said.

In other board news, the bingo policy the Parent Teacher Students Association introduced to the board in November was rejected unanimously, while the attendance policy, a point of contention during recent meetings, has been approved three to two.

In budget news, version three of the proposed budget shows a total of $13,880,594, a difference of $149,659 from version two, with a reduction in heath insurance premiums.

Included in the 2006-2007 budget is the proposition of purchasing two new buses. The new buses would cost $87,000 each, totaling $174,000.

The purchase would be financed with a bond anticipation note renewable in one year at an interest rate of 4.5 percent. The buses would be paid off at the rate of $100,000 annually, which has been earmarked in the budget for the past few years, and will cause no increase in the budget.