WEST ORANGE — This November, taxpayers in West Orange-Cove Consolidated School District will decide whether to pass a multi-million dollar bond. Superintendent Dr. Rickie Harris hopes to see the community vote yes to the nearly 26 million dollar project.
"We've got to invest in our future and invest in the future generations," said Harris.
Harris explained the school district bond election is what they do to raise revenue within the district outside of their normal maintenance and operation budget. Their budget is broken down into two parts, maintenance and operation, and debt service bonds.
Harris said they typically can't do large projects with their maintenance and operations budget alone, so that's why they go out for a bond election and put it to a community vote.
After doing facility studies, Harris said they evaluate their current budget and decide whether or not the bond is needed to make the improvements necessary.
The proposed projects are broken down into ten parts; Safety and Security; HVAC, Bleachers and Infrastructure; Technology Initiative; Classroom Furniture and Equipment; Fine Arts Improvements; Transportation Center; Softball, High School; Baseball, High School; Football, High School; and Event Center, High school.
1. Safety and Security: $800,000
Improvements made to security on the North ELC campus including a security vestible, door hardware with enhanced locking capabilities for all campuses, and campus security cameras at the middle and high schools.
2. HVAC, Bleachers, Infrastructure: $2,100,000
A North ELC parking addition, bleacher replacements at the north and middle school campuses, a high school entry door, signage, chill water piping insulation and roof replacement in building "A," roof replacement at the middle school, fencing added to the career center, and Maintenance HVAC controls.
3. Technology Initiative: $1,900,000
Updates to student and teacher computers in labs and classrooms, interactive panels, 3D printers, and virtual reality projectors.
4. Classroom Furniture and Equipment: $2,200,000
Renovations made to career and technology education, including cosmetology, automotive shop, building and trades, etc., Early College High School, K-12 furniture, genre library, and math, science and computer lab updates.
5. Fine Arts Improvements: $300,000
Acoustic treatment to the elementary main gym, improvements to the middle and high school stages, improvements to the high school band hall and choir room.
6. Transportation Center: $2,100,000
Construction of a new facility including bus canopies.
7. Softball, High School: $750,000
Replacement of the scoreboard, addition of bleacher canopies and installation of artificial turf.
8. Baseball, High School: $1,400,000
Replacement of the scoreboard, refurbished bleachers, addition of an ADA ramp and installation of artificial turf.
9. Football, High School: $2,900,000
Installation of stadium seating, addition of a new press box, installation of artificial turf, and creation of a concrete drive into visitor parking.
10. Event Center, High School: $11,300,000
Conversion of current PE gym to a weight room, installation of flooring and lighting in competition gym, and construction of a new competition gym for district-wide use.
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Harris explained the upgrades to the extravehicular activities would improve facilities for about 60% of the seventh through twelfth grade students. The event center, which is the largest and most expensive project, would be used for battle of the bands, basketball, and even graduation should the ceremony need to be held inside.
Harris said a community survey showed support fot the projects.
"We just look at it and said okay, what do we need to do to improve the education experience for our students, and then lets give the community to say yay or nay," said Harris.
Harris also explained that the bond will affect tax payers. With their 20% Homestead Exemption, school taxes could go up about .08 cents per hundred dollar of value. For senior citizens over the age of 65, however, their will be no tax rate increase.
"If you got a 150,000 dollar home, it would be $76.33 annually, and roughly 6 dollars a month on tax payment," said Harris.
Harris encourages all voters within the district to vote this November. The school district is hoping to begin the process as soon as the bond passes.