Garden City Public Schools

1
Garden City Public Schools
2009 School Investment Bond
2
Reaching out to all voters

• What 36.5 million referendum
• When Tuesday, October 27
• Where Garden City High School
• Why All nine district buildings are in
• need of significant repair,
  modernization and/or restoration
• Homestead, Garden City Middle
  School and Garden City High School
  require additional
  instructional space

3
What will the bond accomplish?

• The projects proposed in the bond are based on a
  comprehensive needs analysis
• Improvements will enable the district to meet
  basic safety and code requirements
• Improvements will help maintain Garden Citys
  tradition of excellence
• Improvements will provide access for all students
  and community members
• Improved facilities are a resource for the entire
  community

4
What are the bonds educational benefits?

• Reclaim and repurpose learning space and make
  optimal use of instructional time
• Protect Garden Citys tradition of educational
  excellence by modernizing existing space and
  expanding facilities at Homestead, the Middle
  school and the High School
• Provide appropriate learning environments for
  students with special needs receiving support
  services
• Create opportunities for 21st century learning
• Maintain small class sizes, middle school teaming
  and continuum of services in special education

5
How were projects identified?

• In the past four years, the District conducted
  two comprehensive analyses of its facilities, as
  well as two demographic studies
• In the 2007-08 school year, the Board of
  Education established the ad hoc Committee on
  Facilities to review the facilities needsand
  make recommendations to the Board regarding the
  condition of the physical plant and improvements
  required to address the districts educational
  programs and demographic trends.

6
How were projects identified?

• After extensive discussion and review, the
  Facilities Committee recommended a conservative
  list of projects that addresses only the most
  pressing needs
• Several major energy-related projects will be
  addressed through an Energy Performance Contract
  (EPC) at no additional cost to the taxpayers

7
Facilities Committee

• Susan Lee
• Patrick Mehr
• Dave Perrotta
• Jean Ricotta
• Al Chase, Chair

• James Carney
• Peter Clarke
• John DeMaro
• Evelyn Fasano
• Tina Halvatzis
• Frank Ruggiero

• Angela Heineman--Board of Education liaison
• BBS Architects EngineersDistrict architect

8
What problems will the bond address?

• Masonry
• Windows
• Grading
• High School roof
• Interior and exterior door deterioration
• Lack of accessibility for people with
  disabilities
• Stairways and landings
• Middle School locker rooms (will be relocated to
  first floor)
• Middle School hallway traffic congestion and
  parking and pick-up/drop-off for students

Water damage
9
What problems will the bond address?

• Deficient/outdated spaces for educational
  programs and community events
• High School music programs
• Undersized rooms for support services for
  students in special programs
• Middle School north gym
• Homestead music/art/physical education
• Warren King Field bleachers

10
What problems will the bond address?

• Heating and ventilation
• Equipment well beyond useful service
  life--Results in increased maintenance, low
  efficiency and higher utility bills
• Reduced temperature control and air quality
• Low reliabilityparts may be unavailable

11
Why do we need a bond?

• School districts have limited means through which
  to address major capital projects
• The scope of the projects is too vast to be
  addressed through the annual district budget
• Action is needed to prevent further deterioration
  and higher costs in the future

12
Why do we need a bond?

• A bond reduces the threat of tax spikes required
  to pay for extensive renovation/repair projects
  in a single year
• A bond spreads the cost of long-lasting capital
  improvements over a number of years, rather than
  placing the funding burden solely on current
  taxpayers
• The district can benefit from the current
  difficult economic climate because interest rates
  are low and many contractors are seeking work

13
Why do we need a bond?

• It is not unusual for school districts to bond
  every 10-15 yearsone nearby similar district
  bonds every 7-8 years
• Manhasset 1995--21.5 million 2007--19 million
• Seaford 1993--10.8 million 2007--21.6
  million
• Bay Shore1995--18.2 million 2002--83.7
  million
• Northport-East Northport 2000--30.5 million
  2007--3.4 million
• Plainview-Old Bethpage 199924.3 million
  2007--2.6 million
• Rockville Centre 1997--12.1 million
  2003--2.3 million
• 2004--15.2 million
• Garden City has floated only 2 bonds for
  improvements to its school buildings in the last
  50 years one in the 60s and one in 1998. Long
  Beach, with a similar bonding history, passed a
  95 million bond last spring to address
  long-delayed needs

14
What will the bond cost taxpayers?

• The project total is 36.5 million
• The district will need to borrow a maximum of
  35.2 million
• 1.3 million in existing capital funds will be
  used to fund some of the project total
• Anticipated to be additionally offset by 1.35
  million in EXCEL aid from New York State
• Borrowing is expected to occur in 3 phases
  between 2010 and 2012

15
What will the bond cost taxpayers?

• The Districts bond rating is excellent AA
• At its peak, the School Investment Bond will cost
  approximately 71/day or 261/year for the
  average homeowner
• The interest rate is conservatively estimated at
  4.5 actual borrowing costs may be less
• After 6/30/15, property tax attributable to all
  debt service begins to decline

16
(No Transcript)
17
(No Transcript)
18
Comparison of Per Pupil Costs
19
What projects have been completed through the
annual district budget capital allocation?

• Stewart and Stratford dual-fuel boiler
  conversions
• Homestead, Hemlock MS roofs
• HS auditorium lighting
• Resurface HS track
• MS Scan-Tek technology lab
• Stewart Stratford playground resurfacing

• IT disaster recovery project
• MS south gym bleachers
• HS locker rooms
• HS/MS cafeteria renovations
• Bus garage roof
• Fuel tank repairs
• Doors, roof and masonry repairs--district-wide

Note List is not all-inclusive
20
What was done as a result of the 1998 bond?

• Extensive projects were completed
• Classroom additions at primary, elementary and
  middle schools
• Libraries at Stewart, Stratford, MS HS
• Elevators at Stewart Stratford
• Electrical upgradesAll buildings
• Science room renovationsHS
• Outdoor track, parking lot, tennis courtsHS
• Auditorium seatingMS and HS
• Hallway lighting and flooringStewart
• Lunch room--Stratford

21
What was done as a result of the 1998 bond?

• The original bond proposed in 1997 totaled 50
  million it did not pass
• A revised 38 million dollar bond passed in 1998
• It was assumed when the 1998 passed that the
  projects deleted from the original proposal would
  need to be addressed in future years, as
  facilities aged and enrollment increased at the
  secondary level

22
What was NOT included in the 1998 bond?

• Replacement of High School roof
• Air conditioning in libraries auditoriums
• Turf fields
• Computers
• Additional music space at High School
• Bleachers

23
Repairs needed
24
Repairs needed
25
Repairs needed
26
Next Steps

• Submission of plans to State Education Department
• Approval by SED (8-12 weeks)
• First phase borrowing (spring/summer 2010)
• Work commencesSummer 2010

27
Questions Answers

• Visit the Garden City School DistrictWeb site
  for ongoing information updateswww.gardencity.k12
  .ny.us