The question of whether the community will support a $23 million bond referendum for improvements to the Mineola School District will be answered on Tuesday, Feb. 15 when residents go to the polls to cast their votes.

Judging some of the photos the district has shown of ripped auditorium seats in the high school, water fountains that aren't compliant with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), old windows and battered lockers, it's clear the Mineola School District is in need of maintenance to its infrastructure. But the board of education and the district are about to get a better idea of what the community is able to afford, whether it's the $23 million project or a less expensive venture.

According to Superintendent of Schools for the Mineola School District Dr. Lorenzo Licopoli, for years the Mineola School District did not have an effective preventive maintenance program. As a result, the district's infrastructure is in need of maintenance. The district is confident that the referendum will make its building current.

"There certainly wasn't a preventative maintenance plan [in the past] like he [Dr. Licopoli] has brought about - a five-year plan. We did some preventive maintenance but we pretty much only addressed things as they came along," said Mineola Board of Education President RoseAnn Buglione.

But the question is will the community support the referendum? Based on a tax impact study, it is estimated that the average household in the Mineola School District with Basic STAR will pay $31 for the first year of the debt service that will come as a result of the bond, which will be 2006, and will pay $66 for years two through 17, or 2007 through 2022. The district arrived at this number of the lease of its communication lines atop the Empire State Building softened the tax impact of the bond by bringing in over $846,000 a year in revenue.

Buglione feels now is the time to get the most for the money, the best interest rate and best way to take advantage of the Nextel money the district will be receiving.

"Some of these things, just to keep them going, costs you money. We spend money trying to patch up these leaks, but really we need to replace the windows. The money we're using to patch could be used toward the new windows, which will give you much more life than that patch does," Buglione said.

The board president was speaking about some of the windows, which need to be replaced at the Cross Street, High School, Jackson Avenue and Middle School. But that is only one part of the plan, which also includes replacement of the auditorium's ripped and battered seats at the high school and its stage. "We've been sanding and refinishing that stage since 1962. What is the life of a stage? There just comes a time," Buglione said.

With the Mineola School District having one of the highest per pupil expenses in the county, whether people will support additional taxes is a question that will soon be answered.

"As a homeowner, if you don't have it, you don't do it. It's a hard time," said one person who recently attended a board of education meeting.

But, for the Mineola School District, some of the projects contained in the bond, district officials and board of education members feel, must get done. For example, the high school windows and doors replacement will be budgeted for in the 2005-2006 budget. Other projects that will eventually have to be done are window and door replacement at the middle school, Cross Street School and Jackson Avenue School and making bathrooms, sinks and water fountains ADA compliant.

The district feels that including these projects in a bond referendum instead of the general budget will end up costing taxpayers less money because, among other reasons, inflation and construction costs could increase in the future, and the bond allows taxpayers to pay the debt over time.

In addition to work to the district's buildings, the referendum would also mean a change to the district's athletic program. The proposal calls for a football/soccer field to be built at the high school with a synthetic turf and lights. During homecoming parades, instead of marching to the Hampton Street Field, which will be converted to baseball fields as part of the plan, the Mineola faithful will be going to Mineola High School on Armstrong Road in Garden City Park.

In addition, a track will be built at the high school so that Mineola's track team would have a regulation track and could host meets, something it is incapable of right now.

The bond also addresses the fine arts facilities at the high school so that seats in the auditorium would be replaced as well as a new sound board, a new light board, air conditioning, new floor carpets, stage and curtains.

The bond also addresses security. The referendum calls for each building to have a single point entry system, new perimeter lighting and a surveillance camera system.

Dr. Licopoli pointed out that all students except those who are currently high school juniors and seniors as well as future students will benefit from the referendum if it should pass since all work is expected to be completed in the 2006-2007 school year.

The vote will take place on Tuesday, Feb. 15 from 6 a.m. to 9 p.m. in your area elementary school.