Trustees Considering Capital Needs & Proposition

With the youngest building in Huntington UFSD being 57 years old, Huntington School Board members and district executives have been vigilant in maintaining the interior, exterior and campuses of all eight structures that serve as schools.

Unlike almost any other district on Long Island, Huntington UFSD has been addressing its capital needs with existing surplus monies that residents have approved being moved into a capital reserve account. The result is the district’s remaining debt will be entirely paid off by June 30, 2026.

The district has avoided expensive borrowing and bonding while still being able to pursue dozens of projects, including replacing school boilers and roofs, building a new turf athletic field, extensively renovating the high school auditorium as well as the Finley Middle School and Jack Abrams STEM Magnet School auditoriums, installing air conditioning throughout the district, renovating science labs in multiple buildings, replacing asbestos floor tiles and rebuilding parking lots and sidewalks. Even the lighting in classrooms, hallways and gyms has been upgraded to LEDs with new fixtures, saving millions of dollars in electricity expenses.

Trustees are again discussing needs and wants, touring facilities and studying the district’s five year capital plan, which lays out maintenance priorities. Over the next two months a list of projects will be finalized and placed on the May 20 ballot for a public vote. Since monies for the work already exists, no tax increase is necessary. Projects are also eligible for state reimbursement at a ratio of about 40 cents on the dollar.

There is currently nearly $3.7 million in the district’s capital reserve fund. But as millions of dollars in previously approved projects close out, leftover monies from that work will be redeposited back into the capital reserve fund and become available.

Trustees are expected to discuss the district’s capital needs at upcoming Board of Education meetings.