Millions of work at RCS for pennies

What can four cents buy you?

In the RCS school district it can purchase residents approximately $2.4 million in repairs, reconstruction and energy efficiency upgrades thanks to the one-time state EXCEL aid program and standard state aid.

Voter approval of EXCEL proposition (proposition 1) on October 9 would carry an average cost per $1,000 assessed property value of four cents the first year – three cents per $1,000 in Coeymans, Bethlehem and New Scotland and five cents per $1,000 in New Baltimore. The cost would drop to less than a penny per $1,000 in the remaining 14 years of the proposition, said Interim Business Administrator Gene Grasso.

To determine the total cost per year for an average household, residents should multiply the pennies per $1,000 times their property assessment. An example would be a $150,000 house in Coeymans. The cost for the first year would be 3 cents multiplied by 150 or $4.50. For the remaining 14 years, the cost would drop to $1.50.

The price is so low because of the special EXCEL funding from the state which is designed to reduce the cost of capital projects for local taxpayers. When the one-time EXCEL funding is combined with standard state building aid, it covers nearly 100 percent of the proposed $2,353,243 project. All that is left for RCS taxpayers to pay would be the financing costs, Grasso said.

Approval of proposition 1 on the October 9 ballot would fund a series of repairs and energy efficiency upgrades to the district’s four school. Work proposed includes:

• Piping of natural gas service into the middle school. The building is currently the only one in the district without natural gas and relies solely on 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. Additionally, the new natural gas service would allow the district to replace out-dated electric air conditioning/heating units for the library and cafeteria, thereby providing additional savings to taxpayers.

• The $288,000 replacement of the leaking roof over the cafeteria wing that last year led to the placement of buckets and garbage cans in the hallway outside the cafeteria. This summer, new leaks appeared in the food preparation area and had to be addressed immediately – through a temporary fix ­– in order to meet state health department requirements.  :

• Replacing faulty thermal windows 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 door handles and locks which do not meet Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) guidelines

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

• Expansion of the loading dock which is too small to fully accommodate new trucks bringing supplies to the school.

Also on the ballot on October 9 are two other propositions:

Ø       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 may be eligible for the standard 70 percent state aid.

Ø       Proposition 3 seeks a voter recommendation on who should fill the vacant ninth spot on the Board of Education. The only candidate for the position who submitted a nominating petition is Rosemary Puckett.