Schenectady City School District residents will vote on a $70 million capital improvement project next month, as long as the project gets approved by the board of education tonight.

The vote to approve the first of four phases would be March 25, if the board forwards the proposal at its meeting tonight. The first phase includes renovating classrooms, enhancing science laboratories, roof upgrades, as well as plumbing and other infrastructure work. By 2016, the district will convert three buildings, one of which is currently closed, into middle schools for 6th to 8th grade students. The plan for the first phase of the project can be viewed here.

The long-term capital improvement project could total between $234.3 million and $239.3 million. The final phase of the project would begin in 2023.

The district is revamping its facilities at the same time it struggles to fix a $10 million budget gap. Because New York state provides aid for capital improvement projects, the $70 million improvement project does not detract from the district's annual budget, Superintendent Laurence Spring said.

The district receives 95 percent in state aid on capital improvement projects, he said. The remaining funds for the first phase will come from state aid that was originally planned for the 2006 capital improvement project.

"We would love to be able to take the money we spend on facility maintenance and upkeep and pour it into programming, but that would be fairly shortsighted and our buildings would fall about fairly quickly," Spring said.

Schenectady City Schools are working to resolve a $10 million budget gap. If the gap is not filled, the district may be spending $1,000 less on each pupil, Spring said. During the 2012-13 school year, the district served 9,774 students and spent $15,964 per pupil. Last month, the state comptroller's office categorized the district as one of New York's most financially stressed. More about the report here.

http://www.bizjournals.com/albany/news/2014/02/05/schenectady-city-school-district-eyes.html

This is why Schenectady is no good. They are wasting tax payers money! Didn't they recently spent money to fix the schools? Now more projects? This is why taxpayers are left with the high tax bills! STOP WASTING OUR MONEY AND START EDUCATING THESE KIDS! Lets start with learning how to cut cost and save money instead of building more projects! I HAVE HAD ENOUGH FIRE SPRING!

Quoted from firefox

This is why Schenectady is no good. They are wasting tax payers money! Didn't they recently spent money to fix the schools? Now more projects? This is why taxpayers are left with the high tax bills! STOP WASTING OUR MONEY AND START EDUCATING THESE KIDS! Lets start with learning how to cut cost and save money instead of building more projects! I HAVE HAD ENOUGH FIRE SPRING!

Just like they NEEDED the swimming pool back 12 years ago or so.  Then a few years later they had another bond issue saying they needed to make repairs to buildings.

Instead of WASTING money on DEM SOCIALISM (you know ALL kids NEED a swimming pool paid for by people who don't swim, who don't have kids), i.e, the swimming pool, oh and the theater, and the dance studio, etc, they should have spent that money fixing up the buildings.

And every time they do this they say "it's not going to cost the taxpayers money because the state is going to pay for it."   This time it's that Mr Spring (who is not even successful helping McCheese sell a house in the city) that thinks people are so dumb.  Well, obviously the people in the city ARE that dumb.   Yep,k the same Mr Spring that promotes social promotion in schools, students fail, promote  them anyway.

Quoted from mikechristine1

Just like they NEEDED the swimming pool back 12 years ago or so.  Then a few years later they had another bond issue saying they needed to make repairs to buildings.

Instead of WASTING money on DEM SOCIALISM (you know ALL kids NEED a swimming pool paid for by people who don't swim, who don't have kids), i.e, the swimming pool, oh and the theater, and the dance studio, etc, they should have spent that money fixing up the buildings.

And every time they do this they say "it's not going to cost the taxpayers money because the state is going to pay for it."   This time it's that Mr Spring (who is not even successful helping McCheese sell a house in the city) that thinks people are so dumb.  Well, obviously the people in the city ARE that dumb.   Yep,k the same Mr Spring that promotes social promotion in schools, students fail, promote  them anyway.

Isn't this the same man who was crying because the State cut millions in funds .... but somehow the State will pay $70 million in renovations???? What a load of cr*p!! Who thought this up ... Kosuir???

There was just a story in the Gazetto yesterday stating how teachers in the high school had to raise funds to get an auditorium fixed (of course there were 'extra' construction funds from other school projects that were used as well).

Where's all this "extra" money coming from? And where is it all going to???

I smell a rat...........

Quoted from Hawthorn

I smell a rat...........

or many.... how can you keep up with all the shenanigans?

Gov't financial mismanagement=jobs (usually union related)=union votes=politician job security.

In a related story the Nisk. school board has tabled their decision to close Birchwood Elementary School for a year.   It was so important to pursue the closing to save $415k, now it is not for a year.   So now where does the savings come from AND where do the funds come from to keep it open?

Quite absurd when an official states it will not be paid for by the taxpayers.   Where do they think money for programs (call it grant money and the like) comes from.  

Cost per pupil of $15,964.  That is the problem.  We know why it costs this much per pupil.  Retirement and health benefits!!!!

Quoted from MOONGLOW

Gov't financial mismanagement=jobs (usually union related)=union votes=politician job security.

YUP!!!!!!! BINGO!!!!! YOU WIN!!!!!!!!

Quoted from firefox

This is why Schenectady is no good. They are wasting tax payers money! Didn't they recently spent money to fix the schools? Now more projects? This is why taxpayers are left with the high tax bills! STOP WASTING OUR MONEY AND START EDUCATING THESE KIDS! Lets start with learning how to cut cost and save money instead of building more projects! I HAVE HAD ENOUGH FIRE SPRING!

Another outrage! Thanks to Lumpy Kosiur the school bored is $10 MILLION in a hole. Lowest rated school district in the area. Instead of going to a K-8 Citywide, as parents
demand, they want to reopen middle schools. Only in Schenectady.

THE DEMOCRATS ARE RUINING AMERICA!

I thought onieda was in such awful shape it could no longer be used. Isn't the gym floor buckling.
? Isn't there mold? Doesn't it smell like urine, and have inconsistent heat, and broken windows,and a leaking roof, and water faucets that run dirty water?

http://www.schenectady.k12.ny.us/Board_of_Education/2011-2012/August312011m.pdf

That school needs to be gutted and rebuilt to make it acceptable. $70 million will not cover the costs to get it where it should be and alter the other school.

These stories about the building condition change every time someone gets it in their head to do some more social engineering. Before, it was "decliningenrollment", yet we had to build additions and also rent some buildings. My point is, they lie to cover their true intentions.
Use what we have, concentrate on teaching. Everything else is a giant, expensive, distraction from the purpose of schools.

Any asbestos?