The majority of those responding to last week's poll favor the school project. However, many comments are critical or hesitant at best. From talking to folks, it seems that very few are strongly in favor and most seem to be simply sick and tired of hearing about the project only to watch it drag on and become more expensive.
Here is some info on specific issues that folks are concerned with.
- The scope of the project with respect to the population study.
- I personally attended the Citizens Task Force meetings on this topic. While it is true that, based on our current birth rate and known population trends, the enrollment of the High School is expected to decrease in the future. It is also true that soon the current over crowding will begin to be relieved because there was a birth rate increase in late '80s through the early '90s. Planning for adequate classroom space considers not just known population values but includes planning for unforeseen change. We are a rural area with tremendous potential for residential development. Like it or not, we also are close enough to the ever expanding NYC suburban boundary to have a reasonable concern that, despite the study, our population will not permanently shrink and could even grow. Because of this realistic growth potential, the square footage of this project is reasonable.
- Green features - Is this important or a bribe to the eco-minded folks? You decide.
- From Manna Jo Greene - "Green Architects Amy Moses and Rick Alfandre will define high performance building and it value in face of rising energy costs. 4.5% of project costs will be dedicated to cost-effective energy-efficiency and other high performance building features. This will include incentives available for green building and renewable energy, cost benefits, and NY-CHPS guidelines. We are hoping RV High School will become one of the first in NY State to use the Collaborative for High Performance Schools (CHPS) guidelines.... It will also set aside 4.5% of the total project costs for energy-efficient, high performance features such as super-insulating the building and the addition to save energy and utilizing a variety of other green building features. It could also include geothermal heating and cooling for the new construction, solar electric and/or hot water, and any other forms of energy efficiency or renewable energy that will pay for themselves or better over the 15-year life payback period and will continue to provide reduced operating and maintenance costs for years to come. These features will more than pay for themselves over the life of the bond and reduce our taxes by decreasing the District's operating costs -- even for the expanded project..."
- The District's Past History with Projects and Facility Management
- This one drives me crazy because the school is so seriously decayed, broken, smelly (yes, smelly!), and totally not up to modern standards or even building codes for health and safety. Our high school is a wheelchair bound person's nightmare. It is as big of a mess as the newsletter shows and perhaps even worse. Does it serve us any purpose to discuss this? Many folks believe it does, many are angry because it seems like it just gets worse. It is worth repeating again and again; The minute this project is completed it will begin to deteriorate. It is up to every citizen, taxpayer, resident, parent, teacher & student to demand that our school board maintain every facility we own.
- Fund Balance Questions
- This my personal big issue. NY State Law instructs school districts to hold no more than 2% of unencumbered fund balance as a, if you will, rainy day fund for non-budgeted, unanticipated expenses. Fund Balance comes from prior years where the entire budget was not spent. Because NY limits the amount of money a district can pile up in fund balance our school district has routinely funded all of its permitted reserve accounts, for instance; reserves set aside for increases in the anticipated costs of retiree health insurance, to the maximum levels permitted by law. The Rondout School District is well prepared for all sorts of financial contingencies. Based on a budget of about $55 mil we should have a fund balance of about 1.1 mil. While we do not have a current figure, it will be released in mid Oct., based on past fund balances, I estimate that we have in between 8-12 million in our fund balance!!!
- In my opinion, this is an illegal reserve account and THE PEOPLE should be allowed to use this money toward this project. In Proposition #2, the board agreed to release 3 mil of the fund balance towards the project. I believe that the board should be releasing all but 1.1 mil towards this project in either proposition. Assuming we have 8 mil in fund balance and the district kept 1.1 for an emergency. This would mean that Proposition #1 would cost the taxpayers nothing, zero, nada, bupkis $0.00! Proposition #2 would put 6.9 mil of fund balance into the project, which would leave the taxpayers to come up about $40.00/year per household rather than $68.00.
- Think about this - While the savings of $28.00 per household isn't a huge difference, the slightly lower tax rate per thousand could make a difference to a prospective business looking around for a new location!! Every little bit counts - we need our school district to return our money on this project!!!
Note to readers - Recently, a commentator suggested that I have not posted the entire facts. I am not an expert on schools projects and I am certain that I have not included every fact there is on our HS project. I do not pretend to not have my own opinions, as a matter of fact I state them as 'my opinion'. I have created this blog to encourage folks to discuss the issue by posting your own comments, opinions and any facts you have on this important decision. I know people feel very strongly on this subject and I thank every commentator for their input.
Please take a moment to add your opinion on the poll question on the right.
Is the High School Capital Project good for us as a community?
Please use the comments button to post your thoughts anonymously.
6 comments:
** a portion of a letter I wrote to an oposing viewpoint..
We can go on forever having different opinions. You have the right to yours & I to mine. Thank goodness we're Americans and can freely voice these opinions and converse in this dialouge safely.
I completely understand not wanting to pay more taxes.
No one does, really.
I agree with you and the tax collalition regarding the way schools are funded. Things have to change. AND in the meantime, it is what it is and I have to think for the kids' future. (I dont want my boy to have to struggle like I am & without a good education... he will.) The way to get it changed is by taking it up with Cahill & Bruno & Albany & DC. Not with the school district. Most of what they do is controlled by Albany & DC anyway. There is very little say on most it.
25% of your taxes go to property tax. Currently, 53% of my gross income is going property taxes. (talk about hardship!- I am livin it)
Its not easy most of the time. And yes, I worry how I am going to put em through college.. and one thing I have determined is where there is a will there is a way.. I keep working my but off, & I will figure it out.
And while at times I feel tapped out, the truth is, what they ask for to improve the school to a modern facility comes down to sacraficing a couple bottles of wine or a dinner out once a month. As I said in the previous email, thats a sacrafice I am gladly willing to make for my son and the children's future.
I still dont agree that not all 3 reports are flawed. I believe all three are.
Perhaps this seems snotty, its not meant to be, I dont think it takes a rocket scientist to see that real estate in this area is alluring. The taxes here are still cheaper than living in Westchester or Rockland and there is much less crime here which makes our community very alluring. The cost of the homes here are much more affordable (espcially with a NYC income) and people find this area to be a place where they want to raise a family. Not to mention, the internet has made the ability of living here while maintaining a New York City area job very plausible. Furthermore, every where you look there are subdivided plots being created ready to build your dream home on.... so while building may be down right at this moment, .. I dont believe for a minute that it is going to be a long term scenario.
To be blunt, If you had came out and just said I dont want to pay more taxes from the very begining, rather than picking out the population reports as the crutch, I wouldnt have responded in the same way.
Quite frankly, I think the vote that was put up previously was a great deal... kinda like getting a $200 pair of sneakers for $40... but it didnt pass... so move forward ... now we have new proposals that also includes green in it and its now 33 rather than 27.
Look this is what frustates me the most about the propositions not passing...
most of what is being proposed, has to be done at some point regardless of whether the bond passes or not.
(thats why its basically the same stuff as before plus the green .. cause it has to happen)
The difference is, if the bond doesnt pass.. it's gonna cost us all more for those same repairs/rennovations.
The rennovations/repairs are going to happen regardless.
(& because of that, I dont even understand on a philosophical level why there is a vote - cause it just gives the illusion that somehow the taxpayers can say no - when in reality, its happening either way, maybe without the green.. but in order to comply with the Federal & State Laws, alot of it has to happen no matter what, and even if at the local level we say no... The Feds & the State are still going to insist in one manner or another (threats of loosing funding, grants, etc..) that certain changes are made.)
If the bond doesnt pass, the work will take longer - being done over an extended course time, and inevetibly, the cost of goods and labor are going to increase....
plus those science labs & other key areas won't get improved as quickly as they need to be for our students to get the modern instruction they need to have to get an adequate education... and to me, thats an urgent issue that shouldn't be put off any longer to get addressed.
Furthermore, by having a bond PASS, the district is able to invest a portion of the monies until it is needed, and get a return on it which further reduces the costs, and we all get more for the buck....
By the bond not passing its gonna cost me more... and with 53% of gross income going out to taxes.. I would rather see the wise proactive investment and both propositions pass now.. rather none of it passing or only doing the first part ... and then in a decade going back and having to do the second part and paying even more for it because we waited.
I have written letters to Albany & Cahill & Bruno about changing the ways schools are funded.
I applaud you for deligently working to effect that change.
I guess all we can do is see what happens on the 2nd.
Respectfully,
****
If we are overbuilding as someone on that high school committee has advertised in the BSP, I'm sure Spitzer and NYSED would have something to say about that, in the form of a denial when the district puts in their application.
Why would the consultants the RVSD BOE hired endorse a "doomed from the start, due to overbuilding" project?
What will happen on October 3rd if this is voted down? Deplorable conditions will remain and we will have another round of committees that will then find that we need $36Mil to fix it all just based on inflation. The $21Mil Prop one is a bandaid to the school and should be voted in automatically by all residents.
We need to get the entire package by voting for Prop 2 for our kids that includes all needs (scholastic and building space). If they are both voted in then we will need to maintain those upgraded assets (the way we maintain our homes) into perpetuity. That may require BOE monitoring....more community people need to volunteer to that board. It's alot of work and time for no pay. (Don't throw stones in a glass house. Again, you may not like what the BOE does, I don't sometimes, but they are charged with that responsibility. Don't like it, then rise up and become part of the process. Every spring there are 3 members status that comes to term that you can run for. This past spring had three newcomers voted in.)
Nothing lasts forever, but clearly the majority of the building is 47 years old and needs to be overhauled for the benefit of our kids. With a 70% reimbursement from the state (get it while you can) we would be fools not to vote both propositions in. Case closed.
Thank you, a member of the Facilities Advisory Committee to the High School project and a parent to two children in the district.
For what it is worth, and this has nothing to do with the blog or the taxes as I have my own issues in my S.D.--but this is the prettiest visual of a blog I have ever seen.
Kudos to the blogmaster.
While it's always good for people to have a forum in which to discuss and debate, it seems to me that we have had too much anonymity in this Town. If we really are all "equals here, neighbors, residents and stakeholders in our town," as the Moderator believes, there is absolutely no reason to hide our identities.
Anonymity in a Town which has been so badly divided through the willful acts of those we elected to represent us is simply an invitation for abuse and mudslinging. Anyone who is posting something responsible should have no problem taking credit for it.
I will respect the Moderator's desires as this blog is his/her property and there is very little I respect more than one's right to do as one wills with one's own property. Consequently, I will not post my own name here, much as I dislike the idea. I will, however, post a copy of this comment on my own blog, where it is clear who wrote it, lest I be accused of being inconsistent in my views and actions.
As the mother of a kindergartener at Marbletown Elementary and a resident of Rondout Valley, I believe that ensuring the best possible educational environment for our future generations is crucial. As a teacher at Rondout Valley High School, I have direct experience with the unfortunate physical surroundings that our students must navigate through every day. Inaccessible drinking water, sweltering heat, poor air quality, leaky rooms, lack of instructional space, broken windows, out-dated science equipment, dangerous fire and building code violations, crumbling infrastructure, and the list goes on. Despite these overwhelming obstacles, the dedicated and dynamic faculty and staff at RVHS continue to work and teach and, amazingly, our students continue to succeed. Like roses in a rock pile, they bloom. If our students are succeeding in this environment, imagine how they would thrive if the voters of our district voted yes to proposition 1 and 2.
Access to clean drinking water, updated technology and lab equipment, less crowded instructional space, adequate air ventilation and climate control, and equal accessibility for all would ensure that our future generations were in a structurally safe, educationally sound, and environmentally efficient facility where their dreams and potential could truly be realized. The building is in dangerous disrepair and desperately needs reconstruction. The children are the only future the human race has, and the earth is the only home we know. We must work together to diligently protect both. Please vote yes for both Proposition 1 and 2 on Tuesday, October 2. Vote for our children and vote for our earth. Generations are counting on you.
It is nice to finally be reading the voice of reason. Thank you to those who posted in favor of the project.
While watching the gentlemen pound the "vote no" sign in the ground I was tempted to stop and tell him to get the facts first.
These "helpful" people should get the facts prior to attempting to influence the outcome of the vote.
If it does not pass this time we will be losing the government's financial support, this means that the taxpayers will be footing the entire cost of those things that MUST be done. There are health and safety issues that they are mandated to repair.
I feel that the blog owner is acting irresponsibly by not posting the entire facts. It is quite obvious as to the feelings of the blog owner.
Get educated BEFORE you vote!!
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