Voters in the Pembroke Central School District on Tuesday overwhelmingly approved two measures that will authorize the district to make more than $37.5 million in improvements to school facilities.
- Proposition 1 passed 356 yes to 130 no.
- Proposition 2 passed 269 yes to 208 no.
Here is a summary of what voters approved.
Prop 1: $35,995,000. No additional tax impact. The local share is $6.8 million and will be covered by capital reserves. The balance of the spending plan will be covered by state aid and paying off existing debt.
Prop 1 will:
- Enhance the auditorium with new house lighting and new theatre lighting
- Enhance the band room with acoustics, instrument storage and sink
- Install a light pole by the band entrance
- Renovate the pool and construct a spectator seating addition
- Renovate the existing gymnasium and surrounding corridors
- Renovate/relocate the locker rooms and fitness centers
- Regrade baseball field and install proper drainage, with SOD and infield mix
- Add/reconfigure bleachers at the main athletic field
- Repave the teacher lot and front circle
- Install a blue light system
- Replace PA/phone system
- Upgrade the business office mechanical equipment
- Construct two permanent walls in Classrooms (500 wing)
The plan includes expanding the gym, which will address the current facility's limited seating capacity and eliminate front-row spectators from having their feet on the court during sporting events. The upgrade will also include installing a divider curtain, adding concessions, and an upgraded scoreboard.
At the elementary school, the playground will be updated. The current playground was installed in 1995 and has lasted longer than expected, according to district documentation.
The district states:
However, the maintenance required to keep it as safe as possible has become more and more challenging over time. At the end of this past school year, we had limited access to the playground. Then, over the summer, our maintenance department made a number of repairs and alterations to address concerns that were identified by a certified playground inspector. As a result of their hard work, the playground is accessible to students this fall, with the understanding that splinters are an ongoing issue. The repairs were only a short-term fix, so it is time to assess how to repair and/or upgrade the playground more significantly to make it last another 25-30 years.
The total cost of Prop 2 is $1,535,000. The local share is nearly 100 percent of the projected cost. State aid will cover less than one percent.
According to the district, the tax impact breaks down this way:
- Senior/STAR, $19 ($1.58 a month)
- Basic STAR, $30 ($2.50 a month)
- No STAR, $37 ($3.08 a month).
For more details on the projects, click here.
