School Puts Capital Improvements to Vote

Seats held together with duct tape and old, unreliable theater equipment mark just two of the reasons why the auditorium at Northport Middle School is in need of serious refurbishment.

Northport-East Northport School District Superintendent Marylou McDermott showcased those issues and more in a video the district put together as part of a campaign to get residents to pass two referendums up for vote Wednesday.

The vote calls for capital improvements at three schools done with existing funds and for the establishment of a second capital reserve fund for ongoing maintenance.

“It is very important to note that both propositions are at no additional increase to the 2012-13 tax levy,” McDermott said.

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Here are the two propositions up for vote:

Proposition No. 1

SHALL the Board of Education of the Northport-East Northport Union Free School District be authorized to expend the sum of $1,595,000 from unassigned fund balance, and that it be authorized to expend these monies during the 2012-13 school year and thereafter for capital improvements as follows: HVAC upgrades at Dickinson Avenue School; renovation of the East Northport Middle School and Northport Middle School auditoriums, and toilet room renovations at Northport Middle School, all of the foregoing to include all labor, materials, equipment, apparatus and incidental costs related thereto.

Proposition No. 2

SHALL the Board of Education, pursuant to Education Law Section 3651, be authorized to establish a Capital Reserve Fund known as the “Capital Reserve II Fund” for the purpose of roof replacement, window replacement, masonry/concrete replace- ment, door replacement, floor replacement, wall replacement, classroom renovations, library/multi media center renovation, electrical, plumbing, heating/ventilation renovations, carpentry renovations, security system upgrades, site/field reconstruc- tion, locker room renovations, gymnasium reconstruction, bleacher reconstruction, toilet room renovations, masonry/concrete replacement renovations, ceiling tile renovations, bleacher replacement, computer/technology upgrades, public address/clock system replacement, telephone system upgrades, auditorium renovations and/or storage renovations. The maximum amount of the aforesaid Capital Reserve Fund shall be $12,000,000, plus investment income. The probable term is to be ten (10) years; the funds are to be transferred from surplus monies in unassigned fund balance including a sum not to exceed $1,000,000 from the 2011-2012 budget and thereafter in an annual amount of not more than $1,500,000 for each remaining year of the probable term. Upon the establishment and funding of said reserve, the Superintendent of Schools or her designee shall be directed to deposit monies of this reserve fund in a separate bank account to be known as the “Capital Reserve II Fund.”

The district has three polling locations – Fifth Avenue School, route: {:controller=>"listings", :action=>"show", :id=>"fifth-avenue-elementary-school-2"} -->, and