Elwood School Board Schedules Public Vote For Proposed Bond

The proposed bond includes funding to rebuild the roofs on all four of the district’s schools, including James H. Boyd Intermediate School.

By Connor Beach
cbeach@longislandergroup.com

The Elwood school board has scheduled a public vote for a bond proposal that would help fund $38.15 million in improvements across the district.

The two-part proposal separates the health, safety and educational items -- including new roofs, improved drainage and increased air-conditioned space -- in proposition one from proposition two’s proposed athletic field enhancements, most notably a new turf field at John Glenn High School.

A vote on the proposal has been slated for Tuesday, Nov. 28.

Elwood Superintendent Kenneth Bossert said the two-proposition approach was the best practice to ensure that the most contentious item, the $3.56 million overhaul of the athletic fields, did not jeopardize the planned improvements of proposition one.

The most vital improvement, a rebuild of the roofs on all four of the district’s schools, would cost $11 million, Bossert said. “When it rains outside, it rains inside,” he added.

The total cost of the proposed projects in proposition one is $34.5 million — which the district estimates cost the average taxpayer approximately $221 per year, or $18.42 per month, according to district documents. If both propositions are approved by voters in November, the cost per year for the average taxpayer would be $333, or $27.75 per month.

The district has a tax calculator on its website, Elwood.k12.ny.us, for residents to determine the estimated impact the bond would have on their tax bill.

The school board has also scheduled guided tours at each of its four buildings that will help identify the projects that would move forward if the proposed bond is approved. The tours will be held every half hour, 5-6:30 p.m. on Wednesday, Nov. 8 at each of the four buildings -- Harley Avenue Primary School, James H. Boyd Intermediate School, Elwood Middle School and Elwood-John H. Glenn High School.

Polls will be open from 6 a.m.-9 p.m. on Nov. 28 at the district’s 100 Kenneth Ave. office in Greenlawn.