Informational Meeting on Newark Central School District Capital Project Proposal Was Fruitful 🦊

Newark Central School District residents will vote December 17th on a two-phase $33.7 million project that would address hundreds of maintenance, safety, infrastructure and accessibility needs intended to protect and extend the effective life of the five NCSD school buildings.

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The extent of this project is based on meticulous 2024 New York State-required building condition surveys of each of the NCSD’s five school buildings.

The good news is that is 93.3 % of the proposal would be offset by state building aid and the other 6.7 % would be paid for with district reserve funds that have been faithfully set aside for just such purposes.

If approved, this two-phase project would have no additional impact on school district taxpayers.

With passage, work could begin as early as March and would address numerous pressing indoor and outdoor repairs like replacing portions of roofs on four school buildings, safety and security-related public address and mass high-speed notification systems in all five school buildings and materials abatement.

The second phase of the project would address pages of safety and code, electrical and technology, mechanical and plumbing, exterior masonry, accessibility repairs or upgrades and student space improvements at the elementary schools and additional project scope that would include a brand-new playground at Lincoln School and High School pool filtration and mechanical equipment upgrades.

Should the project vote fail, the $33.7 million cost of repairing and or replacing items would fall on taxpayers versus being aidable.

The district is working with its administrators, architects, financial consultants and community members to provide information and explain the purpose and benefits of the proposed project improvements.

As such, an October 15th informational meeting on the project provided attendees an opportunity to learn more about the district's facility’s needs, proposed work, and financial considerations.

Benjamin Wemesfelder, Project Manager for Gordon W. Jones Associates, Architects, P.C. used a succinct, PowerPoint presentation to explain the two phases of the proposed project.

In the PowerPoint the “why” of the project was explained this way:

Facility Longevity - Preserving the existing buildings to ensure they can continue to serve students and the community for years to come.

System Reliability - Repairing and modernizing aging building systems and equipment to allow for uninterrupted operation and reliability.

Student Safety - Continually making needed improvements to promote safe, accessible and comfortable learning environments for every student.

“We want to ensure each school remains safe, reliable, and ready to support the students, teachers and staff who use them every day,” Wemesfelder said. “. . . This is an investment in the long-term reliability of Newark’s schools and the students and staff who depend on them. We want these buildings to serve the community, not just today, but for the next generation of students who will learn in them.”

A few of those attending offered positive feedback, questions, and suggestions.

Like Newark resident Barbara J. Meeks who questioned the timeliness of the proposed project in the face of declining enrollment in some Wayne County schools and how some districts are either considering the possibility of mergers and or studying how to share some services or facilities.

Superintendent Susan Hasenauer said NSCD’s enrollment is “very stable in comparison to the other districts around us and is hovering about 1,800 pupils.”

However, she said the NCSD has been and continues to be very interested in sharing services where applicable like, for example, sharing staff where shortages exist.

She also emphasized the NSCD is proposing this “high-quality, maintenance program so we can keep our buildings operating at the most optimal level.”

Newark resident Dave Howard said district residents need to understand items to be addressed in the project are not optional, but maintenance necessities that would largely be borne by state aid dollars.

“This is maintenance, and we need to do this,’’ he said emphatically, adding it would not only make the buildings safer, but also ADA compliant.

Howard strongly reiterated a few more times the pressing need take care of the items contained in the project NOW, while the opportunity exists for there to be no additional cost to taxpayers.

The final part of the meeting addressed a very preliminary look at plans and discussion about of a total revamping and expansion of the Newark High School auditorium space into a state-of-the-art performing arts and wellness center.

This project is under development, with additional discussions involving the architects, financial consultants, school staff, and community ensuing.

This second proposal, when completed, would be put before district residents in May and is also projected to have no additional impact on taxpayers.

Hasenauer thanked those attending the informational meeting, including a few NSCD staff members, for their interest and comments.

“Your feedback is valuable,’’ she said. “Our first project isn’t fancy, but necessary to maintain the integrity of our buildings and provide an even safer environment for students, staff and community members. That’s the must do part. The second proposal is borne of a long-term vision of our district to create a true pathway for students who want to pursue careers in music and the arts.”

More information on both projects will be forthcoming before district residents will vote on them.