EXCEL project advances

After months of anticipation and missed expectations, RCS can finally move ahead with the EXCEL Capital Project.

The district received last week project approval from the New York State Education Department, allowing RCS officials to begin seeking bids from contractors for the project work.

Facilities Director Gene Doane said that bids are expected to be awarded in the next month and work could begin by the end of the summer.

District residents approved in October the $2.35 million project that is nearly fully funded through state aid.

The project includes much-needed building repairs and energy efficiency upgrades to the district’s four schools. Among the projects to be completed are:

• The piping of natural gas service into the middle school to replace the more costly energy source of electricity to provide heat and hot water to the food preparation areas and restrooms, as well as faculty, staff and students.

• The replacement of the leaking roof over the high school cafeteria wing that last year led to the placement of buckets and garbage cans in the hallway outside the cafeteria.

• The replacement of faulty thermal windows in the high school  at a cost of $414,000 with energy efficient models that reduce heating costs and provide a warmer classroom environment in the winter. 

• Replacement of one of the two leach fields which is failing, leading to over-saturated, potentially unsanitary and at times odiferous ground;

• Replacement of main entrance doors in the high school which fail and could pose a safety problem in an emergency and reconstruction of the gymnasium ceiling which is sagging in areas.

• Replacement of a leaky, asbestos-lined water tank at A.W. Becker Elementary School, an equally outdated and asbestos-lined tank at Pieter B. Coeymans Elementary School.