Residents voted 2-1 in favor of the Plainedge School District's $1.9 million bond issue on Tuesday, Dec 8.

Schools Superintendent Gene Grasso said he is very pleased that it passed, adding that it will enable the district to improve the district's technology. The district intends to upgrade the electrical systems in each its six schools in order to support an enhanced technological program. Each classroom currently has one to two computers and a printer and every school has a computer lab. In the future, the district plans to increase the number of classroom computers to five.

The bond issue will also be used to replace the fire alarm, telephone, intercom and public address systems in most of the schools. These systems, in many cases, are as old as the buildings and need to be replaced for safety reasons. Grasso said he expects work to begin this summer.

According to district officials, the tax rate will not increase as a result of the bond issue. Money needed to rewire the buildings is set aside in the annual budget. The rest will be covered by state aid, which reimburses 65 percent of school districts' capital projects.

Grasso added that he wanted to thank the Parent -Teacher Association and the public for its support of the referendum.