Rhinebeck residents to vote on $12 million school plan

Residents on Dec. 6 will vote on a $12.09 million proposal to fund capital projects that have been identified as school district priorities.

The polls will be open from 2 p.m. to 9 p.m. at Bulkeley Middle School, 45 North Park Road.

Items included in the proposed project are similar at both the middlehigh school building and Chancellor Livingston Elementary School. Included are interior doors and hardware, kitchen ceilings, telephone systems, entrance handrails, skylights, roof ladders, roof recoating, exterior doors and windows and lighting replacement.

Superintendent Joseph Phelan said the project also includes replacing the floor-to-ceiling windows at Chancellor Livingston Elementary School.

“That was mid-’60s construction and those windows are original to that building and they leak water, they leak hot air, they clearly need to be replaced to improve the energy efficiency,” he said.

Work outside of the buildings is proposed to include athletic track improvements, athletic field renovations and irrigation, curbing repairs and asphalt paving.

Projects were prioritized by an ad hoc committee that reviewed the district’s buildings condition report, as well as items that could save the district money in annual operating costs.

Other projects include installing an emergency backup generator at the middle-high school and adding acoustical tiles to the gym walls.

“That building is currently designated as an emergency shelter by the Red Cross, but we don’t have (self-contained) power, so, if it’s a power-related issue, then, with that generator, we’d be able to provide shelter to a lot people in our community ... if we were to be off the grid for any period of time,” Phelan said.

Officials said they are willing to conduct tours of the buildings for residents who are seeking more information on the types of problems that will be addressed under the proposition. Information is available through the district office at (845) 871-5520.