BC News

Voters approve excel funds
Release Date: Oct. 30, 2007

Bethlehem Central School District voters approved on Tuesday a proposal to access $4.9 million in state funding to construct the classrooms necessary for the planned full-day kindergarten program and complete a variety of student safety and infrastructure projects.
The ballot measure passed by a tally of 1,710 to 479.

The work will be completed at little or no cost to district taxpayers thanks to a special school construction funding program known as EXCEL (Expanding Children’s Education and Learning).

“We are very pleased that voters have endorsed this special funding opportunity,” Board of Education President James W. Lytle said. “The projects that will be completed will both make our academic program stronger, in the case of the kindergarten classrooms, and save taxpayers in the long run through the completion of safety and infrastructure work. The Board appreciates voters continued support of education in our community.”

The EXCEL funding will allow for the construction of an eight-classroom addition at Eagle Elementary School to give the district enough total elementary classrooms to implement a full-day kindergarten program with students attending their home schools in September 2009. While Eagle Elementary School will open in the fall of 2008, the addition will not be complete until a year later.

The other projects that will be completed with the funding include the replacement of aging roofs at BC High School and Clarksville Elementary School and windows at BC Middle School, asbestos tile flooring replacements district-wide and the installation of security cameras and radios at the High School.

EXCEL funding was approved by the state Legislature in 2006 to assist districts statewide in improving their facilities. Districts were awarded a certain amount based upon enrollment; $1.66 million was earmarked for BC. This funding will cover the "local share" of the projects and generate regular state building aid, giving the district this $4.9 million to invest in its facilities at little or no cost to BC taxpayers.

There is a possibility that the district will face a small financing cost as a result of the projects. If so, this cost is conservatively estimated to be no more than 34 cents per year for the owner of a $200,000 home.