BOE gets update on capital project

WEBUTUCK — The North East (Webutuck) Central School District Board of Education (BOE) was kept abreast of the status of the long-awaited capital project during a presentation facilitated by Superintendent of Schools Raymond Castellani on Monday, March 15.

Starting at 7 p.m., board members convened for their meeting via Zoom due to the COVID health crisis. Accompanied by Business Administrator Robert Farrier and Luis Rodriguez from The Palumbo Group — both of whom answered questions and provided input — Castellani launched his presentation.

Giving an overview, Castellani attributed the need for another capital project to replace the main components in the district’s infrastructure so it can avoid larger emergency repairs down the road. 

Other factors include improving air quality and avoiding safety issues, as well as addressing certain items such as roofs and heating ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) systems that have reached the end of their lifespans.

Castellani answered the question “why now?” He said the district has resolved debt from a previous capital project dating back 20 years, and will replace it with this new debt. He explained Webubutck has debt “falling off the table,” so the district and taxpayers will therefore be able to realize a savings as a district and as taxpayers. 

As capital debt is reduced, building aid is reduced, thereby affecting the capital exclusion for tax levy calculation. What Webutuck is looking to do, Castellani said, is schedule this strategically so there will be no additional costs to taxpayers if the debt is replaced at the present time. The longer the district waits, the more costly it becomes to replace the components in need of upgrading.

With the debt service rolling off in the 2022-23 school year, Farrier pointed to a dramatic reduction in Webutuck’s total debt service, which he said will go from $1,598,900 in the 2020-21 school year to $433,775 in the 2022-23 school year. 

Meanwhile, the estimated building aid would be reduced from $1,025,775 in the 2020-21 school year to $612,322 in 2022-23 school year.

The capital project components include replacing the roofs at Webutuck Elementary School (WES) and Webutuck High School (WHS); upgrading and replacing the district’s HVAC system; replacing the aging HVAC controls at WES; abating the WHS auditorium; and repairing the gym ceiling at WHS. 

Breaking down each project component, Castellani highlighted existing issues the district feels must be addressed and what the scope of work for each component may look like.

The estimated costs have been calculated at $10.3 million, though Castellani mentioned the district has more work it wants to do. He said it has tried to stay within the budget so the work would have no significant impact on taxpayers as there is about $10.3 million coming off the debt. 

In addition to gaining support from the BOE, he said the district plans to continue to work with its fiscal advisors to develop a specific funding plan, along with the Palumbo Group to refine and develop the plan. As the plan is developed, the superintendent said this will include a public relations initiative to educate taxpayers about the project.

As the March 15 presentation opened for BOE discussion, the school board gave input on the components of the plan. 

Reflecting on previous district projects, BOE member Nikki Johnson revived the idea of a playground for students at Eugene Brooks Intermediate School, a proposal that was featured in Webutuck’s original capital project.

“I think that if COVID has taught us anything, it’s that the outdoors is our classroom,” she said, “and I would love to see us make more use of that.”

On top of suggesting other improvements, Johnson reminded her fellow BOE members that “kids learn through play.” As they considered the merits of this idea, BOE President Judy Moran — having seen playgrounds in Millerton and Amenia — said she very rarely sees children using playground equipment these days. Furthermore, Moran said she didn’t want to spend the district’s money on “things we wish people would use as opposed to what they will use,” though she agreed the board should get input from the public.

“I think we have to be honest and forthright and really clear about what our plans are and what we’re asking taxpayers to do,” Moran said.