Timeline to a building referendum on
May 19, 2009 at the
Scotia-Glenville Central Schools

March 22, 2010
British American Construction Services, the project manager for the building project approved by the community in May, outlined the summer construction schedule for the summers of 2010 and 2011 at the Board of Education today. Here is the schedule.

May 20, 2009

Daily Gazette article about approval of school budgets and propositions across Schenectady County.

Spolight News article about budget approvals.

May 19, 2009

Thank You Scotia-Glenville!

The four proposals on the May 19 ballot were approved:

2009-10 budget, 1,253 to 785
(61.5% to 38.5%)

Bus purchases, 1,227 to 787
(60.9% to 39.1%)

Bldg. proposal #3 (renovations, track),
1,119 to 902
(55.4% to 44.6%)

Bldg. proposal #4 (MS library improvements), 1,037 to 960
(51.9% to 48.1%)

John Yagielski received
1,410 votes

Gary Normington received
1,426 votes

May 19, 2009

Community vote on the 2009-10 budget, bus purchase proposal, two building referendums and two candidates for the Board of Education. Voting will be held from 6 a.m. to 9 p.m. at the Senior High School Sacandaga Road, Route 147

May 12, 2009

Daily Gazette story about the budget and building project

May 11, 2009

Budget/building project newsletter received in homes.

April 30, 2009 and May 6, 2009

Forums will be held at 7 p.m. both days a the Middle School.

Here's a PDF of a flyer about the building projects that will be available at both forums.

April 28, 2009

Daily Gazette notice of April 30 building forum and May 6 budget hearing.

April 3, 2009

Here's the Times Union story about the building project adoption.

April 1, 2009

Here's the Daily Gazette story about the building project adoption.

Here's the Spotlight story about the building project adoption.

Monday, March 30, 2009

The Board of Education has adopted a two-part building project to present to the community on May 19 during community voting at the high school, 6 a.m. to 9 p.m.

The project will be presented to the community in two propositions:

• $9.317 million to cover roof repairs, track repairs, technology infrastructure replacement, high school library heating system grades, etc.

• $2.575 million to reconstruct the Middle School "open" library by adding walls, ventilation and expanding its footprint.

Here is the architect's outline of the project (in PDF).

Here is an overview sheet sent home with students last week (in PDF).

No tax increase

Because of retiring debt, $450,000 from a debt reduction account, EXCEL and state aid, there would be no tax increase for either proposal.

First propositon must pass for the second to pass

The Board of Education, in presenting two proposals, has sought to give the community a choice in the building project. The first proposal includes many of the items from the state-mandated Building Conditions Survey required of school districts every five years; the second proposal has been a long-standing shortcoming of the Middle School library.

The voting resolutions, as approved by the Board of Education, require that the first proposal be approved in order for the second proposition to be successful.

Monday, March 23, 2009

Board of Education members reviewed proposals to include in a building project. Many of them were part of the defeated project in December.

Here is the architect's report on the project.

The list includes $11.9 million of proposals that will be further reviewed at a community forum at 7 p.m. on Monday, March 30, at the Middle School:

• Upgrade technology server capabilities and infrastructure at all six schools. The current system is more than 10 years old and has reached the end of its useful life;
• Replace the public address/clocks at all six schools - some are original equipment;
• Reconstruct roofs at four schools - Glen-Worden, Lincoln, Sacandaga and the Middle School - and the bus garage. Glendaal’s roof was replaced last summer and the high school’s roof does not need work;
• School specific items: replace the rear canopy at Glendaal, the entrance road at Glen-Worden, chimney at Lincoln and bleachers in the middle school gym; and reconstruct the high school front sidewalk and remove the canopy;
• Long-term proposals: replace the heating system at the high school; replace the current six lane track with one the same size; replace the high school library’s heating system; replace the boiler and water heater at Glendaal; and upgrade/expand the middle school library. The upgraded heating systems would also save energy.

Aiming for Zero Tax Impact: Because of state aid, special EXCEL funding, declining debt costs and other sources of revenue, the tax impact is very close to zero. The Board of Education and administration are committed to developing a project that has the least cost to the community.

Here is a flyer going home with students to alert parents about Monday's meeting.

If adopted by either Monday, March 30, or a special meeting on Tuesday, March 31, at 7 p.m. at the Middle School, the community would consider the building proposal at the May 19 community/budget vote.

Tuesday, January 13, 2009

The Board of Education, at its meeting on Monday, Jan. 12, discussed presenting a downscaled building project to the community as early as the budget vote date, May 19. Here is the Gazette story about the meeting.

Friday, January 9, 2009

Here are the results of the exit survey (in PDF) conducted during the Dec. 16 vote. Thanks to everyone who participated in the survey! The Board of Education received this information today.

Wednesday, December 17, 2008

Daily Gazette article about project defeat.

Tuesday, December 16, 2008

Thanks to everyone in the Scotia-Glenville community who participated in the building renovation vote!

The $26.76 million plan was defeated. The vote was 1,509 against and 811 in favor, a 65 to 35 percent spread.

The district will review the hundreds of exit surveys that were completed. The Board of Education will likely consider presenting the community with an EXCEL maintenance project proposal during the budget vote in May.

Tuesday, December 16, 2008

Voting will be held from 6 a.m. to 9 p.m. at the Scotia-Glenville HIgh School gymnasium, Route 147. Any resident - homeowners and renters - are eligible to vote if they are 18 years of age, a US citizen and have lived in the school district for at least 30 days.

Please complete an exit survey after voting. These surveys help us to better understand our community's wishes and needs.

If you are not registered with the Schenectady County Board of Elections, please bring proof of residency.

Absentee ballots are due at the business office by 5 p.m. today.

Monday, December 15, 2008

A few misconceptions were heard at last week's public hearing and throughout the community.
This information tries to dispel concerns about the presumed reduction of state aid, the artificial turf proposal, moving the Sacandaga playground and other issues.

Friday, December 12, 2008

This vote reminder flye was to be sent home with all students by today.

Thursday, December 11, 2008

This flyer was being sent home with all students at Sacandaga Elementary School (in PDF) to further discuss the options regarding the playground. This came from a meeting on December 10 with parents at Sacandaga.

Wednesday, December 10, 2008

This article was an advance article that appeared in the Spotlight News about the vote on Dec. 16.

Tuesday, December 9, 2008

This article was a followup on the hearing and appeared in the Daily Gazette.

Monday, December 8, 2008

7 p.m., Middle School, formal public hearing and presentaton about the Dec. 16 building renovation project.

This article was an advance article about the public hearing and appeared in the Daily Gazette.

Friday, December 5, 2008

A newsletter about the building project was mailed to 8,000 homes today.
Check it out here.

Thursday, December 4, 2008

7 p.m. at the Middle School, Appel Osborne Landscape Architects will discuss the options for the turf field.

Monday, December 1, 2008

These revised informational flyers are being handed out at many public events.
Large flyer
Small flyer

Monday, November 17, 2008

Absentee ballot applications are available in the district business office, 382-1222. They must be returned by 5 p.m. on Dec. 16. The last date to request a ballot be mailed to you is Dec. 9. They can be picked up during regular business hours, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., at the business office, 900 Preddice Parkway (end of Lark Street) in Scotia.

Saturday, November 15

Here is Superintendent Susan Swartz's presentation during the community forum today.

Here is the Mpeg file to listen to this community forum (24.6 megabyte file). Below is a list of times and topics to guide you:

0-6:56 - Superintendent Susan Swartz discusses the background of the project;

6:56-7:48 - She discusses buiding aid and recent announcements of state budget cuts.

8:00-21:40 - Board Member John Yagielski discusses the middle school, high school and solar energy aspects of the project

21:40-37:50 - He discusses the athletic field and track work included in the project.

37:55-71:37 - Superintendent Susan Swartz discusses how the project is being funded, enrollments and taxes and answers a variety of questions.

Wednesday, November 12

These flyers were handed out during the first community forum about the building project. The second forum is scheduled for Saturday, Nov. 15. The flyers will also be available at a variety of concerts and public events in the next month. They are both in PDF format:

Small flyer - tri-fold - question and answer format

Larger flyer - bi-fold - drawings of the building improvements

Friday, October 31, 2008

Community newsletter highlighting the building project was mailed to the community today. Here are the parts of the newsletter about the building project:

Page 1 - building project overview

Page 2 - (continued story) building project overview

Page 3 - Scotia-Glenville tax base set to boom

Tuesday, October 28, 2008

The project would upgrade the high school and middle school libraries, renovate 50-year-old and 34-year-old classrooms, expand science labs at the middle school, install solar panels on Sacandaga Elementary and install synthetic turf to create a multi-sport field on the current football field.

The project would raise taxes by a maximum of 1.9 percent phased in over three years.

Check out project details here.

Here's more about the process of getting to where building project is today.

Here's the Daily Gazette story about the meeting.

Monday, October 27, 2008

The Board of Education on Monday, Oct. 20 approved a $26.76 million building project that would upgrade the high school and middle school libraries, renovate 50-year-old and 34-year-old classrooms, expand science labs at the middle school, install solar panels on Sacandaga Elementary and install synthetic turf to create a multi-sport field on the current football field.
The project would raise taxes by a maximum of 1.9 percent phased in over three years. The project will be considered by the community December 16.

On Oct. 27, at 7 p.m., the Board of Education will meet in the Middle School library to approve bonding resolutions and environmenal quality review requirmeents to formaly move the project to the voters on Dec. 16.

Check out details of the project here.

Here's more about the building project

Monday, October 20, 2008

After months of study, the Board of Education tonight approved a $26.76 million building project that would upgrade the high school and middle school libraries, renovate 50-year-old and 34-year-old classrooms at the middle school and high school, expand science labs at the middle school, install solar panels on Sacandaga Elementary and install synthetic turf to create a multi-sport field on the current football field. The project would raise taxes by a maximum of 1.9 percent phased in over three years. The project will be considered by the community in mid-December. Check out the details here.

Here's the story in the Oct. 21 Daily Gazette.

The Board of Education will meet at 7 p.m. on Monday, Oct. 20 at the Middle School to continue discussion of the buidling project.

Board members expect to have updated financial and architectural information by that time. The board may also adopt resolutions to move the project foward.

The updated information would be from Fiscal Advisors, the district's financial planning firm, and the district's architect firm, Mosaic Associates.

A public vote is tentatively set for Tuesday, Dec. 9.

Here is some of the information presented at the Sept. 29 meeting on the building project.

Here's more about the building project

Check out the latest information, including tax increase estimates ranging from 1.89 to 1.99 percent.

September 30, 2008

The Board of Education will meet at 7 p.m. on Monday, Oct. 6 at Glendaal Elementary School.

Board members heard on Sept. 29 from Fiscal Advisors, the district's financial planning firm, and the district's architect firm, Mosaic Associates, about the costs associated with the proposed building project, tax impacts of the project and other details.
A public vote is tentatively set for Tuesday, Dec. 9.

Here is some of the information presented at the Sept. 29 meeting on the building project.

Here is the Daily Gazette story about the Sept. 29 meeting.

Here is the Spotlight News story about the Sept. 29 meeting.

September 29, 2008

The Board of Education will meet at 7 p.m. on Monday, Sept. 29 in the Middle School library.
Board members will hear from Fiscal Advisors, the district's financial planning firm, and the district's architect firm, Dodge, Luzine, Chamberlin about the costs associated with the proposed building project, tax impacts of the project and other details.
A public vote is tentatively set for Tuesday, Dec. 9.

September 11, 2008

This brochure (in PDF) was handed out during Meet the Teacher Nights at the four elemenary schools, middle school and high school.

September 8, 2008

Article in the Daily Gazette about the building project plans.

September 2, 2008

Article in the Spotlight News about last Monday's BOE meeting and the use of artificial turf.

August 26, 2008

Here's the Daily Gazette story about Monday's decision by the Board of Education to proceed with a building project.

The Board of Education has asked Superintendent Susan Swartz to gather cost estimates, meet with bond counsels, contact the state Education Department and prepare for a building project to be considered by the community tentatively on Dec. 9 that would:

• Construct a new high school library and renovate the existing library space into an art gallery and art classrooms;
• Replace the running track, install a multi-purposse artificial/synthetic field to replace the current football field and add bleachers to seat 500 at the high school (see guidelines below released Aug. 22 from the state Education Department and a fact sheet from the state Health Department);
• Renovate science, technology and family and consumer science classrooms at the middle school and technology classrooms at the high school;
• Enclose the middle school library;
• Replace elementary roofs and make a host of other maintenance improvements at all six schools;
• Install a demonstration solar project at one of the schools.

The district expects to receive about $925,000 in state EXCEL grant funding and, by combining that with state budling aid, will allow about $4.2 million of the project to have no local cost.

August 25, 2008

Board of Education to discuss synthetic or artificial turf at its meeting today.

The prospective date for the vote has changed to Dec. 9. The vote has to be held at leat 30 days after the general election because the lever-style machines will be impounded for that period of time.

August 22, 2008

State Education Department outlines guidelines for installing artificial or synthetic athletic fields. The guidelines say that the turf must be free of lead and lead chromate and must come with a 15-year warranty in order to receive state education aid reimbursement.

State Health Department issues a fact sheet about artificial or synthetic turf.

July 29, 2008

The Board of Education continues its discussion of the options to be included in a prospective December referendum.

Here's the Daily Gazette story about that meeting.

July 9, 2008

Tartan Report newsletter story about the building project.

June 26, 2008

Here is a summary of the comments made at both community forums.

June 20, 2008

Article in the Daily Gazette about the first community forum held on June 19.

June 19, 2008

Powerpoint presentation made by Superintendent Susan Swartz at a community forum about the ideas being considered for a building project.

June 11, 2008

Daily Gazette article about June 9 Board of Education meeting and upcoming building project forums.

June 9, 2008

The information below was posted on the web site and flyers were sent home with students about the two upcoming forums.

April 29, 2008

The Board of Education discussed ways to receive public input about the future facilities project.

Here's the article in the Daily Gazette about that discussion.

Here is the Spotlight News story about that discussion.

March 10, 2007

Board of Education President Margaret Smith said at the board's meeting that a vote will likely be held in the fall on a building referendum. She said board members and the administration are still researching information that would be necessary before a decision could be made about a project. She said there will be presentation about the use of artificial turf at the board's March 24 meeting, 7 p.m., at the Middle School.

Feb. 27, 2008

The options from the architectural firm, Dodge Chamberlin Luzine Weber, are discussed in this Daily Gazette article.

Feb. 25, 2008

Architects focus on three potential building options.

Here is the PDF of the three options proposed by the district's architects.

February 11, 2008

Here is the Powerpoint that Superintendent Susan Swartz presented to the Board of Education regarding some of the decisions they made on Jan. 28. The Powerpoint shows four options for a future building project.

February 6, 2008

Here is the story in the Spotlight News about the Board of Education meeting on Jan. 28.

February 1, 2008

Here is a story in the Daily Gazette about the Board of Education's most recent plans.

January 29, 2008

Board of Education studying plan to bring building project before voters this year.

January 15, 2008

Here is a story in the Daily Gazette about the Board of Education's continuing deliberations.

December 18, 2007

Here is a story in the Daily Gazette about possible athletic field work.

December 12, 2007

Here is the Spotlight News story from the Dec. 3 building project discussion.

November 19, 2007

Superintendent Susan Swartz outlined options for a building project using the state's EXCEL aid building incentive and standard building aid. The Board of Education reviewed the proposals, asked for additional information and will continue discussing these issues at its Dec. 3 and 17 meetings.

Read the Powerpoint presentation regarding options for a building project

Here is the Daily Gazette article from the meeting.

A bit of background...

Here's the Facilities Committee Report from 2005