The North Syracuse Central School District is asking voters to approve a $9.95 million capital project, which includes roof repairs at five schools and replacing the tennis courts at the junior high.
According to Superintendent Annette Speach, roof repairs at Allen Road Elementary, Karl W. Saile Bear Road Elementary, Gillette Road Middle School, North Syracuse Junior High School and Cicero-North Syracuse High School is well overdue.
“The roofs in these buildings are badly deteriorated, with all having exceeded their life expectancies,” Speach wrote in a district newsletter on the referendum. “Over the last several years, the deterioration has caused these buildings to experience leaking on a regular basis. The leaks have led to unexpected repair costs. Approval of this project referendum will allow the district to avoid these repair costs.”
Also part of the referendum is the replacement of the tennis courts at NSJHS, which are used by several of the district’s teams.
The total cost for the project is expected to be $9.95 million. Of that, $1.99 million will come from the district’s capital reserve. The remaining $7.96 million will be raised through property taxes, which will increase the tax levy by an estimated 0.2 percent. For a house valued at $100,000, the average annual increase will be $4.70 (before STAR).
The district will host a public information meeting on the referendum at 7 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 19, at the Jerome F. Melvin Administrative Office Building, 5355 W. Taft Road, North Syracuse.
The vote will take place from 6 a.m. to 9 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 28. Those who live north of Route 481 should vote at Cicero Elementary School on Route 31. Those who live south of Route 481 should vote at the administrative office building, 5355 W. Taft Road, North Syracuse.
In order to vote in the referendum, you must be a resident of the NSCSD for 30 days prior to the election 18 years of age or older eligible to vote in U.S. elections. If you are not registered to vote, you must do so by Sept. 22. The district is holding an evening voter registration session from 4 to 8 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 19, at Cicero Elementary on Route 31 and at the Jerome F. Melvin Administrative Office Building on Taft Road in North Syracuse. Voters may also register at the district office building during business hours (8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday) through Sept. 22. To obtain an absentee ballot, contact District Clerk Connie Gibson at (315) 218-2131.
