When Huntington UFSD residents go to the polls on Tuesday, May 18 they will have an opportunity to cast ballots on proposals to fund more than $4 million in capital projects at district buildings. The work will be funded with current monies. Nothing will be bonded and there will be no debt incurred.
“The Huntington School Board and administration remain committed to a multi-year plan for capital improvements that will keep our facilities running efficiently and in support of our educational programs,” Superintendent James W. Polansky said. “The current state aid package provides a unique opportunity to take this commitment a step further than reserve funding for this year, with an additional solar project planned for Flower Hill Primary School. Additionally, the federal grant funding attached to the American Rescue Plan Act, which is earmarked for non-recurring expenses, will assist with capital plan implementation over the longer term.”
A capital reserve fund proposition will cover an estimated $3.525 million worth of projects. It will not result in any increase in taxes since the monies already exist in a reserve fund that district residents established to specifically cover costs with renovation and reconstruction work.
Huntington UFSD’s use of capital reserve funds has allowed the district to avoid borrowing large sums of money, incurring interest costs and accumulating debt. The district currently has about $1.2 million in long-term debt, which is substantially below nearly any other Long Island school district.
If residents approve release of the Building Improvement Fund monies, the district will be able to complete all of the projects without needing to bond or borrow any of the funds necessary. There will no tax rate impact if the funds are released. The district will also be eligible to be reimbursed by the state for approximately 39 percent of final costs.
The monies in the capital reserve fund represent dollars already provided to the district by taxpayers that, because of stringent fiscal management and economizing through the years, 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 capital reserve fund projects that will be on the May 18 ballot include:
Huntington High School
• Partial roof replacement: $1.45 million
J. Taylor Finley Middle School
• Replacement of original 1965 gymnasium bleachers; replacement of substantial portion of gymnasium hallway flooring; Phase I reconstruction of the parking lot: $1.175 million
Jefferson Primary School
• Replace original two boilers installed in 1962: $900,000
District total: $3,525.000
Huntington School Board members also included in the proposed 2021/22 budget, which will appear on the May 18 ballot as Proposition No. 1, a transfer to capital line in the amount of $525,000 to cover estimated costs to install solar panels on the roof of Flower Hill Primary School and related equipment. The district hopes to eventually offset the costs of electricity for the building and to sell excess electric back to LIPA.
District residents previously approved a solar panels project at Southdown Primary School. That project is awaiting final approval by the New York State Education Department.
Should the proposition pass on May 18, the district’s architectural and engineering firm of BBS will formally design each of the projects and submit the plans to the State Education Department for approval.
Once SED approval is received, the district will seek bids for the work. District officials are hopeful that the bids will come in below estimates, lowering the cost of the projects.