Vote will occur Oct. 18
Residents in the Jamesville-DeWitt school district got an opportunity to learn more about a $12.1 million capital project that would bring renovations to all of the district’s facilities, as well as major updates to the high school auditorium.
On Sept. 26, a public information meeting was held at the Large Group Instruction room in the high school. “The board has studied this in great detail,” said Superintendent Alice Kendrick. “The district has worked with architect and engineers, spoken with staff, and have come to the conclusion there are five major areas in need of repairs in order to keep the buildings up to date.”
In 2015, the district’s facilities underwent an extensive building conditions report which showed renovation and updates needed in the buildings, including renovation of building exteriors, refurbishment of mechanical, electrical, plumbing HVAC and emergency systems, grading improvements of the sites and changes that will bring the buildings up to date with ADA compliance regulations, said Kendrick. The buildings included in this capital project that showed need of improvements are Tecumseh Elementary, Moses DeWitt Elementary, Jamesville Elementary, J-D Middle School, J-D High School and the district’s bus garage.
The cost breakdown is as follows: $3.1 million for the high school; $3 million for the middle school; $370,000 for Tecumseh Elementary; $370,000 for Jamesville Elementary; $960,000 for Moses DeWitt Elementary; $1.2 million for the bus garage; and $3.1 for the auditorium.
The main projects that will be occurring in all buildings but the bus garage are HVAC and emergency system improvements. The bus garage will get a new bus lift, fuel tank and overhead doors. Auditorium improvements include renovations to the seating area, stage, audio-visual system and renovations to the music suite that will add more storage space, a practice room and a multi-purpose room.
About 72 percent of the project cost will be covered by building aid from the New York State Education Department, said Kendrick, and the remaining amount will be covered by the school’s tax levy. The district planned the project to coincide with the retirement of an existing debt that equals the amount not covered by state aid, and Kendrick said there should not be any change in tax rate as a result of this project.
If approved, Kendrick said the district will finalize plans to send to the state education department, and plans to put the projects out to bid in fall of 2017 and begin construction in the spring of 2018.
Kendrick said the information about the capital project was sent out in the last district newsletter, and the Powerpoint presentation will be available at jamesvilledewitt.org.
The vote will occur from 7 a.m. to 9 p.m. on Tuesday, Oct. 18, at the high school’s main gym, 6845 Edinger Drive, DeWitt.
