3 Westchester school districts set votes on upgrades,
land
Colleen Wilson , [email protected]
Published 5:43 a.m. ET Feb. 20, 2017 | Updated 8:52 a.m. ET Feb. 21, 2017
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Port Chester Schools Superintendent Edward Kliszus talks about the school district hope to pass a
bond to expand school space and upgrade facilities, Feb. 20, 2017. Ricky Flores/local
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More classroom space. New turf fields. Additional
parking, offices and playground areas.
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(Photo: Ricky Flores/The Journal
News)
These are just a few of the proposals folded
into capital improvement projects and a property
purchase that voters in three Westchester school
districts are being asked to consider in March.
"The three most popular times of the year to hold bond votes are December, October
and March," said Michael Borges, executive director of the state Association of
School Business Officials. "The planning process determines when the bond votes
are held, but typically, schools try to hold them several months before the summer
when more construction work begins so as not to disrupt the educational or athletic
programs."
Five districts in Westchester — Croton­Harmon, Rye Neck, Harrison, Valhalla and
Mount Pleasant — put school improvement bonds to vote in October
2016. All passed except Rye Neck, which fell short by 17 votes.
Next month, Mount Vernon, Tuckahoe and Port Chester are asking for residents'
support for their own proposals.
OCTOBER: Five schools hold votes on borrowing plans
UPDATE: Bond passes in Valhalla, fails in Rye Neck
MORE: Three school bond plans pass
MOUNT VERNON
In March 2016, Mount Vernon voters approved a $108 million bond to restructure
and upgrade all 16 school buildings in the district.
Over the past year, however, the district received complaints from parents about
some of the bond’s projects, including turning Parker Elementary into an early
childhood center, which would force children in that neighborhood to attend different
elementary schools around the city.
To alleviate some concerns, the district modified some of its construction plans and is
now proposing to reallocate how the money is used. The proposal does not change
the tax impact or alter the overall bond amount. Residents can vote on the revised
proposal March 7. If the new plan gets shot down, the original bond will stand.
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Students at Graham Elementary school participate in African dance during Parent Involvement Day in
Mount Vernon, Feb. 13, 2017. (Photo: Carucha L. Meuse/The Journal News)
“We find there is a need for us to provide more space for an influx of children into the
district, and we’re asking the public to allow us to repurpose some funds to get ahead
of this now while we have the opportunity,” Superintendent Kenneth Hamilton said.
Taxpayers with an average home assessed at $10,000 could expect an annual cost
starting with $70 in the 2017­18 school year, rising to a high of $156 in the 2020­21
school year. After that, it ranges between about $125 to $150 annually until 2031­32.
The state aid reimbursement would be 75 percent.
The revised plan would turn Parker Elementary, currently a K­6 school, and Mandela
High School, an alternative high school, into pre­K–8 schools.
New properties would also be acquired, and existing spaces would be renovated at
Parker, Mandela, Pennington, Grimes and Traphagen to become K­8 schools with
added classrooms, parking and playground spaces. Mandela
would be fully renovated with a new gym and auditorium.
Mount Vernon High School and A.B. Davis, which were each set to receive the
largest portions of the bond money in the last plan — together $38.3 million
— would now together only receive $3.5 million.
Much of the money for Mount Vernon High School would have been used to move
athletics fields, which are scrapped under the new plan. There would still
be renovations to the football and baseball fields, tennis courts and the track.
A.B. Davis would still become a STEAM (science, technology, engineering, arts and
math) high school with upgraded science labs, but would not get new turf fields or a
restored basketball court under this plan.
Residents can vote from 7 a.m. to 9 p.m. on March 7. The five polling locations
are Pennington School, Parker School, Traphagen School, Graham School and
Mandela High School. For more information, go to the district’s website.
TUCKAHOE
Tuckahoe wants to purchase a property at 110 Ridge St. across from the William E.
Cottle Elementary School that would help address the need for more classroom
space, and construct a building on the property for a new district office.
The district wants voters to approve spending $660,000 to purchase the property.
The district has already put down $66,000, of which $15,000 is nonrefundable.
There would be no tax impact on residents; the property would be paid for using
money from the undesignated fund balance, said Superintendent Carl Albano.
“It’s rare that a school purchases private property, but we really need more land to
accommodate our growing enrollment,” Albano said. “It’s a beautiful neighborhood
and we love it … maintaining the integrity of the style and look of the neighborhood”
would be a priority for a new building, he said.
The 0.164­acre property contains a private residence. If the sale is approved, the
house would be razed to make room for a new district office building. The
construction of that building — estimated to be a 2,800­foot, two­story structure
— would be part of a future bond proposal that would address the district’s growing
enrollment.
The district’s elementary school is above capacity by 82 students and the middle and
high schools are at capacity.
“There’s a serious space issue at the elementary school, but in addition to that, we
anticipate some of those large grade levels to eventually move up into the middle and
high school,” Albano said.
Voters can head to the polls from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. on March 14 at the Tuckahoe
Community Center, William E. Cottle School and Union Corners (Chester Heights)
Fire House. For more information, go to the district’s website.
PORT CHESTER
The Port Chester school system is proposing a nearly $80 million borrowing plan that
would address the district’s growing enrollment, install turf fields, and build
gymnasiums at three of the district’s six school buildings.
For a home assessed at $100,000, the average annual cost to taxpayers would be
$75 over a 24­year period. The district is eligible for 66 percent reimbursement from
state aid.
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Port Chester High School. The district wants to build an addition to the school, which would include
a new gymnasium, classroom and upgrade the sports field. (Photo: Ricky Flores/The Journal News)
“We’ve been overcrowded for at least a decade. In fact, we’re renting space for 300
elementary students at one of the former Catholic schools,” Superintendent Edward
Kliszus said. In addition, the grass field at the high school limits how often it can be
used, so Kliszus said, “A turf field is part of the plan as well and that would permit us
to use the field almost year­round.”
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Photos: Overcrowding presents
obstacles at Port Chester High School
13 Photos
Photos: Overcrowding presents
obstacles at Port Chester High
School
1 of 13
More than half of the bond money, about $50 million, would go to Port Chester High
School to build a new football stadium with turf, upgrade the 85­year­old gym, and
add classrooms by building an elevated structure over the existing parking lot on the
west side of the building.
JFK Elementary, King Street, Park Avenue and Edison schools would receive a
combination of additional classrooms, more media space, new gyms and cafeterias
and expanded green space. Port Chester Middle School would not receive any
money.
Residents can vote from 7 a.m. to 9 p.m. on March 28 at Port Chester Middle School.
For more information, go to the district’s website.