Trustees Considering Capital Projects Referendum
A list of possible capital projects has been given to Huntington School Board members who are considering which ones, if any, to include in a referendum on the May 17 ballot that will include the 2011/12 budget and two trustee races.
The cost of the projects would be funded by the district's capital reserve fund, which currently holds in excess of $4 million dollars. Monies in the fund are used for renovation and reconstruction projects authorized by voters.
Trustees are considering $2.671 million in projects. They can choose to place some, all or none of the projects on a referendum. The district currently has $4,056,230 available in the capital reserve fund. Monies in the fund represent dollars already provided to the district by taxpayers that, because of tight fiscal management and economizing, weren't needed to pay for regular school operations. The source of the funding is the annual transfer of surplus monies from the district's general fund.
The list of possible projects includes:
J. Taylor Finley Middle School
- Replace gymnasium bleachers: $125,000
- Replacement of asbestos floor tiles: $175,000
Flower Hill Primary School
- Replace fuel oil tank: $215,000
- Install electronic building access: $10,000
Huntington High School
- Phase II of parking lot rehabilitation: $606,000
- Replacement of asbestos floor tiles: $100,000
Jefferson Primary School
- Replace fuel oil tank: $215,000
- Rehabilitation of roadway and parking lot: $290,000
- Install electronic building access: $10,000
Southdown Primary School
- Rehabilitation of roadway, parking lot and sidewalks: $220,000
- Install electronic building access: $10,000
Washington Primary School
- Rehabilitation of roadway, parking lot and sidewalks: $220,000
- Replace of public address system: $55,000
- Install electronic building access: $10,000
Woodhull Intermediate School
- Replace fuel oil tank: $215,000
- Replacement of asbestos floor tiles: $100,000
- Replace public address system: $26,000
The school district would be able to apply for state aid on any capital project it completes. By utilizing the capital reserve fund to cover the cost of projects, the district can avoid borrowing monies through a bond issue and instead utilize existing monies. Passage of a proposition will not increase taxes.
Trustees are also being asked to include in any capital reserve fund proposition an allocation of $39,000 from the fund for use in finishing projects funded through the state's EXCEL program. These monies are needed due to various change orders as a result of unforeseen situations and unanticipated testing.
The projects over budget include replacement of the public address systems at Southdown ($2,619.19), Flower Hill ($1,924.13) and Jefferson ($248.60) schools, replacement of the Jack Abrams School fire alarm system ($717.16), asbestos abatement and replace of state wiring at J. Taylor Finley Middle School ($22,784.63) and Phase I of the rehabilitation of the parking lot at Huntington High School ($10,611.42).
The EXCEL program provided the district with $1,359,070 for a variety of capital projects. The district has already received $1,287,898 of these funds.
Trustees are expected to make a final decision on a capital reserve fund proposition sometime during the next month.