Voters to decide on land sale, improvements
CLIFTON PARK, N.Y. » Residents of the Shenendehowa School District will get a chance on Tuesday to vote on two propositions with great impact to the district and to the southern Saratoga County community.
The propositions will ask voters living in the school district whether to sell a vacant 34-acre parcel to the town of Clifton Park for $1.1 million and whether to borrow $18.3 million for improvements and upgrades to the district.
Ballots can be cast in person from 7 a.m. to 9 p.m. in the Gowana Middle School gymor via an absentee ballot from any resi- dent not be available to go to the polls. The absentee ballots can be obtained at the district office, 5 Chelsea Place, Clifton Park. They must be returned to the district clerk no later than 5 p.m. Dec. 5.
The date of the vote with regard to the land sale is surprising. It was 364 days ago that the Shen Board of Education voted 4-3 to sell the land to developer BBL for $2 million. That vote and the fire it ignited in people set off an intense three week petition effort by those who sought to keep the land in the public domain. That effort resulted in the rejection of the developer’s offer.
In the ensuing months, the town of Clifton Park stepped forward and in a series of discussions with a committee from the Board of Education offered $1.1 million for the land with an understanding that it will remain a public space.
In October the Board of Education voted to accept the town’s offer. Residents now have their chance to either accept or reject the town’s offer.
The other proposition on the Dec. 5 ballot is a capital project request labeled Project 2019. It asks voters to allow the district to borrow $18.3 million for districtwide improvements that would take place in the 2019-20 school year.
The amount borrowed will be off-set by using $1.5 million from the district’s capital reserve fund and an estimated $11.4 million in state building aid.
According to figures provided by the district, the esti- mated net cost to taxpayers will be $5,426,400. The district estimates the impact on residents’ tax rates at 0.04 percent for the next 15 years.
In an informational release to residents, the district estimated a home assessed at $250,000 will see an increase in its yearly school taxes of $18 if the proposition is approved.
In August, while making a presentation on the proposal to the Board of Education, Superintendent L. Oliver Robinson made note of the low interest rates and said this was the time to borrow the money and plan for the future.
“By paying down the debt we are able to have capital projects without adding more debt,” he said. “Our debt exposure is go-
ing down yet we are adding facilities, that’s a great place to be. This represents opportunities for us as a system to do upgrades and improve facilities with limited impact to taxpayers.”
The f unds will be used to transform existing “shop- style” technology classrooms into a STEM wing and renovate high school science classrooms into next generation science labs and instructional spaces. The improvements would also include enhancing the district’s instructional technology infrastructure, an
emergency generator for the bus garage, upgrades to high school and middle school kitchens, and improvements to the Route 146 main entrance. General roadway and parking maintenance is also part of the plan as are improvements to the high school drop- off and parking areas.
To vote on the propositions one must be a U. S. citizen, 18 years or older and have been a Shenendehowa School District resident for at least 30 days prior to the vote. No preregistration is required but official personal identification with photo is required at the polls.
For more information, call the district clerk at (518) 881- 0623.