At the Farmingdale Board of Education's special meeting on Tuesday, Sept. 27 the board unanimously adopted a resolution establishing Dec. 6, as the date for an energy bond referendum of $26,925,000. The energy bond provides for replacement of original boilers, energy and air quality upgrades in classrooms, replacement of 50-year-old original windows, masonry and brick repair.

Facilities Assessment Advisory Committee co-Chairman Phil Cappello explained, "The new boilers and windows will save 65,000 gallons of fuel per year while improving the student learning environment."

The board's action came after a presentation reviewing the recommendations of the district's Facilities Assessment Advisory Committee. The Committee's recommendations were accepted in total, and identify the work to be performed if the community approves the energy bond.

The process leading up to the board's decision began more than two and a half years ago. At that time, the board of education recognized that the aging of the district's buildings - most of which are 40-50 years old - made it necessary to take a long-term look at the district's approach to facilities maintenance. The board retained the architectural firm of Thomas Associates to perform a detailed study of the district's school buildings. Following this in-depth analysis, the Facilities Assessment Advisory Committee spent over six months conducting a building-by-building review of the architect's findings. The board of education then undertook its own six-month, building-by-building investigation and study. Over the years, the district has included money in the annual operating budget for basic maintenance and repair work and some capital improvement projects.

According to Superintendent Dr. Roberta Gerold, "The district's skilled maintenance personnel have done an outstanding job of preserving our building systems and seeing that they have operated long past their expected life spans. This has saved taxpayers money over the years. However, after close to five decades for some of our schools, the aging process has taken its toll."

If approved by the community on Dec. 6, the annual tax impact of the energy bond on a resident currently paying approximately $5,000 in school district taxes is projected to be $56. For a resident with a current school district tax bill of approximately $7,000, the annual tax impact is projected to be $78. The total cost of the energy bond referendum is $26,925,000 for the 20-year term of the bond. As a result of the district's state building aid ratio, for every $100 invested in the buildings the state will reimburse the school district $47.50. The tax impact examples noted above have been calculated factoring in state aid reimbursement.

For more information call the Superintendent's office at 516-752-6510.