Capital project local costs would be minimal

The two capital project propositions being placed before RCS voters on October 9 would have a combined cost of less than $26,000 a year for district residents.

Residents will head to the voting booths in the High School gymnasium from 7 a.m. to 9 p.m. that day to vote on propositions that are designed to fix specific building failures and improve the safety and energy efficiency of the district’s four schools. A third proposition seeks voter input on who should fill a vacant seat on the Board of Education. The capital project propositions are:

• Proposition 1 seeks approval to spend $2,353,243 to improve the safety and energy efficiency of the district’s four schools.
• Proposition 2 seeks voter approval to spend $390,000 to replace the leaky roof on the bus garage and install a more energy efficient boiler and a fuel monitoring device. The work is eligible for standard 70 percent state building aid that would reduce the projected cost to taxpayers to $10,327 a year. 

Approval of proposition 1 would allow RCS to conduct $2.3 million in repairs and renovations – such as the replacement of rusted, asbestos-lined water tanks in the elementary schools, replacement of a leaking roof section at the High School, installation of new, energy efficient thermal windows in the high school and the piping of natural gas service to the middle school.

As a result of a state Legislature-created program entitled EXCEL (Expanding Children’s Education and Learning) that is designed to cover most local taxpayer costs for capital projects, RCS taxpayers would only be responsible for paying the financing fees said Interim Business Administrator Gene Grasso.

The financing costs, he said, would amount to a district expense of approximately $15,000 a year for 15 years.

Approval of proposition 2 would allow RCS to spend $390,000 to replace the leaky roof of the bus garage and install a more energy efficient boiler and a fuel monitoring device. While not eligible for EXCEL funds, the project is eligible for the standard 70 percent state building aid.

That would reduce the total cost to taxpayers of the project to $10,327 a year.

“What is being proposed would solve major problems RCS has been dealing with for some time and improve the energy efficiency and safety of our schools,” said Superintendent Vicki Wright. “As a result of the EXCEL program, we would be able to fix these problems at little cost – approximately $25,000 combined annually – to district taxpayers. For comparisons sake, we just spent $14,000 to provide a short-term fix to the leaky cafeteria wing.”

At the same time, much of the work being done would improve energy efficiency in the buildings and reduce energy costs. An example is the piping of natural gas service to the Middle School which would allow the district to do away with the much more costly electrical heating of water for the building.

An engineering firm is currently developing the energy cost saving projections for the projects and that information will be made available to the public as soon as possible, said Superintendent Wright.