School Board Schedules Referendum on Woodhull Addition
Huntington School Board members have set a special capital project referendum for Tuesday, August 24 from 6 a.m. to 9 p.m. in the Huntington High School lobby. Residents are being asked to vote on the release of $2 million from the district’s Building Improvement Fund for renovations, repairs and construction of an addition at Woodhull School. Passage of the proposition will not increase taxes.
The vote to hold the referendum came after Roger Smith of Burton Behrendt Smith, the district’s architectural and engineering firm, made a public presentation at the July 6 meeting of the Huntington School Board.
“Trustees believe residents should have an opportunity to decide if they want us to enlarge Woodhull School to meet the current and future needs of the young people in our community,” Superintendent John J. Finello said.
Since monies for the proposed project already exist in the Building Improvement Fund, the district will not have to borrow any money, pay interest or raise taxes to cover the work.
Mr. Smith said a $2 million budget for the proposed Woodhull project could cover $125,000 in architectural and engineering fees, $25,000 in soft costs such as inspections, testing and printing, $185,000 in design and construction contingency expenses, $100,000 for new electric service throughout the new and “old” sections of the building and $1.565 million for construction of a connecting corridor, new classrooms and boys’ and girls’ restrooms. The addition would be located behind the existing structure, opposite the playground.
Mr. Smith estimated construction costs at roughly $250 per square foot, which would yield 6,260 square feet of space. The project would be put out for competitive bids. In the end, the actual additional space that a $2 million budget would cover was estimated at somewhere between 6,000-7,000 square feet, enough for six new classrooms.
Woodhull School opened in January 1967 after the district closed Roosevelt Elementary School on Lowndes Avenue in Huntington Station. Roosevelt was later demolished, the school’s grounds were enlarged from three to 13 acres and a new building was erected and named Huntington Elementary School.
Building Improvement Fund History
Residents voted 1,737-790 to create the Building Improvement Fund in May 2008 and authorized the transfer of up to $2 million in any given year as may be available at the end of each fiscal year from June 30, 2008 through June 30, 2016. The ultimate amount is capped at $10 million plus interest earned. Residents must give permission before the district actually begins any project. The school district can apply for state aid on any capital project it completes.
The fund has been capitalized through the use of existing surplus budget monies, which through the use of conservative budgeting, economizing and tight fiscal management have not been needed to fund regular district operations.
Voter Registration
Residents who are not registered to vote in a general election or a school district election can register on Tuesday, August 17 between 4-8 p.m. in the Huntington High School lobby. To be eligible to register, individuals must be a United States citizen, have resided in the district for at least 30 days and be at least 18 years old.
Persons who have been previously registered in the district and have voted in a district election conducted during the four calendar years running from 2007 through 2010 or who are registered and qualified to vote in a general election need not register again to vote on August 24. Only qualified voters who have been duly registered will be permitted to vote.
For more information or to apply for an absentee ballot call Huntington District Clerk Elizabeth Troffa at 673-2126.
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