Hilton Central School District Capital Projects

December 2011

Hilton Central School District Capital Projects UPDATES  

2011-12 District Facilities Planning Committee   Call for Community participation  

Committee Minutes and Notes & Meeting Schedule

District Facilities Planning Committee reconvenes  At its regular meeting Nov. 8, 2011, the Board of Education authorized the formation of a District Facilities Planning Committee to be comprised District staff and community residents charged with reviewing and prioritizing District capital needs to develop a recommendation to the Board of Education for a possible capital project to be voted on in December 2012.  Committee members are: Michelle Ames; Kirk Ashton; Steve Ayers; Brian Bartalo; Steve Beauvais; Michelle Civiletti; Barb Cutrona; Tracie Czebatol; David Files; Cheryl Fishbaugh; Adam Geist; Michael Giruzzi; Laurie Hazard; Gary Huffman; John Kierecki; Jim Lamparella; Donald LeShane; Louis Loggi; Brandon McAuliff; Fred Paye; Michael Short; Karen Spillman; Scott Ziobrowski; Sarisa Zoghlin.  Facilitator is Hilton CSD Assistant Superintendent for Business Steven Ayers.  Committee Schedule, Minutes and Notes.

Meeting Schedule:   January 11, 2012 Subcommittee progress reports and recommendations, if available; February 15, 2012 Subcommittee progress reports and recommendations, if available; March 14, 2012 Subcommittee progress reports and recommendations, if available; April 18, 2012 Subcommittee progress reports and recommendations, if available; May 9, 2012 Subcommittee progress reports and recommendations, if available; June 13, 2012 Initial discussion of prioritization of recommendations; June 27, 2012 Final discussion of prioritization of recommendations; October 9. 2012 Board of Education approval and scheduling of vote; December 11, 2012 anticipated public vote on proposed capital project.  Committee meets at 7 pm in the Board Meeting Room, 225 West Ave., Hilton.

History of EXCEL I and EXCEL II 2007- 2009 and Capital Reserve Fund   In January 2007, District voters overwhelmingly approved [620-102] the first Excel capital project for $9.5 million which utilized special NY State funding to offset the local property tax impact of the project.  "Based on the strong voter response, the District proposed the creation of a Capital Reserve, which was approved by the voters in May 2007, to allow the District to begin a cycle of accumulating sufficient reserve funds to enable maintenance and renovation projects every five years with no associated local property tax impact," said Hilton CSD Assistant Superintendent for Business Steven Ayers. The second EXCEL II Project was approved by voters December 2008 in the amount of $1.985 million.  "As of the end of the 2010-11 school year, the Capital Reserve had reached its funding goal of $1.5 million, which positions the District to plan its next capital project.  It is expected that the committee will draw its recommendations from three major sources: the results of the Building Condition Survey, the recommendations of the Go Green Committee, and input from the various program leaders on the needs of the instructional program." 

The 2011 Building Condition Survey was completed by LaBella Associates, PC and presented to the Board of Education in early 2011 in response to the NYS requirement that all school districts that a detailed architectural review be performed every five years of the infrastructure of every building in the district.  There were a number of elements of the District’s infrastructure that were identified as being at or near the end of their useful lives, including: roofs at Quest Elementary School and the Village Elementary School; the boilers at the High School; the septic system at Northwood; and the fueling system at the Transportation Facility.  

 2011-12 Go Green Committee  The Go Green Committee studied renewable energy sources and the associated infrastructure. The Board has authorized a more extensive feasibility study to be performed concurrently with the work of the Facilities Planning Committee which will research the feasibility of solar energy, geothermal heating/cooling, as well as wind energy.   "The recommendations were made in response to the adoption of a goal of reducing the District’s use of commercially-produced energy and associated carbon footprint by 50% by the 2015-16 school year," Mr. Ayers said. 

District Facilities Planning Committee  The initial meeting of the Facilities Planning Committee is scheduled for Wednesday Dec. 7, 2011 at 7 pm in the Board Room at District Offices/Quest, 225 West Ave., Hilton.  All interested community members may volunteer to participate by calling 585-392-1000 ext. 7099. The committee’s recommendations are expected to be presented to the Board in September 2012.

2007-08 EXCEL II Capital Project

Hilton Central School District residents pass a a no-tax-impact $1,985,000 EXCEL ll Bond Vote Dec. 15, 2008 by a vote of 302-120   Hilton Central School District residents approved a no-tax-impact $1,985,000 EXCEL Maintenance and Renovation Bond Vote Monday, Dec. 15, 2008.  The project represents a second phase of construction renovation projects which is expected to address facility issues such as drainage improvements at Northwood Elementary School; replacement of a failing generator at Northwood; conversion of non-instructional space to classroom space at each of Hilton's three elementary schools in order to accommodate growth in pre-kindergarten; abatement and replacement of deteriorating vinyl asbestos tiling in the district's middle school; renovation of the original restrooms in the Village Elementary School; installation of an exhaust hood and fire suppression system in the high school concession stand; replacement of secondary classroom exits at the Quest Elementary School that have become damage due to building settling.   EXCEL II PROJECT - SWF Download Flash  The project represents a second phase of construction renovation projects using NYS EXCEL grant funding which is expected to address these school building issues:

• Drainage improvements around the perimeter of Northwood Elementary School classroom wings
• Replacement of a failing emergency generator at Northwood Elementary School
• Conversion of non-instructional space to classroom space to create one additional classroom at each of Hilton's three elementary schools in order to accommodate growth in pre-kindergarten through grade six
• Abatement and replacement of deteriorating vinyl asbestos floor tiles at Merton Williams Middle School
• Renovation of the original restrooms in the Village Elementary School/Hazel Jenkins wing
• Installation of an exhaust hood and fire suppression system in the high school concession stand
• Replacement of secondary classroom exits at the Quest Elementary School that have become damage due to building settling.

"This is the second NYS EXCEL grant funding for which the district has applied for and will be 87.3% state-aided, therefore, no local property tax impact to residents," according to Mr. Ayers. "There is $1.4 million in EXCEL grant funding available to the district and we have $200,000 unused from the 2007 project. We got our bids out in a timely manner and came in $600,000 under budget.  There is still work to be done under EXCEL Phase I at Northwood this summer as well as at the High School.  We are asking for voter authorization for EXCEL Phase II.  If approved by voters, the construction would begin in the summer of 2010."  District residents approved a similar EXCEL I project in 2007 which accomplished a major roof replacement at Northwood Elementary as well as ceiling and flooring improvements, a complete replacement of the school's electrical service; newly renovated gymnasium floors at the High School, Merton Williams and Quest; 32 windows replaced at the High School as well as renovations at the high school lavatories; HVAC improvements at the Village Elementary School along with lavatory renovations; and a new emergency generator and uninterruptible power supply for the Network Operations Center located at 225 West Ave. For further information from Mr. Ayers: 585-392-1000 ext. 7034.  - read more  -

2006-07 EXCEL I Capital Project

Hilton Central School District residents pass a a no-tax-impact $9.5 EXCEL l Maintenance and Renovation Bond Vote Jan. 30, 2007 by a vote of 620-102  A $9.5 million Maintenance and Renovation Bond Project allowed the District to address building infrastructure at all Hilton schools and the Transportation Facility. Based on the findings of the District’s five-year Building Condition Survey, items included:

• major roofing replacement at Northwood Elementary School, a roof that reached its 20-year lifetime and includes an obsolete ventilating system

• asbestos removal at Northwood along with associated ceiling and flooring replacement

• updating of schools’ electric service and HVAC [heating, ventilating and air-conditioning]

• energy efficient window and door replacement and repair at the High School;

• retrofitting lavatories

• cleaning ductwork

• floor refinishing and bleacher replacement in the high school gymnasium

• safety provisions and technology upgrades to the district’s computer network.

The EXCEL I Project was financed partly with New York State’s Excel grant,” Board of Education President Daniel Wellington said. “With the remaining funds coming from the issuance of bonds, the annual principal and interest payments on the bonds is fully offset by building aid from New York State. As a result, no local property taxes will be required to cover these future payments.”  2007-08 Maintenance and Renovation Excel Project

2001-05 $57.9 million "Generational" Capital Project