Community Vote on Homer CSD’s Proposed Capital Improvement Project is Today

Homer High School. (Photo Source: Homer Central School District website).

Homer-area community residents will get a chance to vote yes-or-no on Homer Central School District’s proposed $24 million capital improvement project today.

Voting on the proposed project will take place at the Homer Training and Education Center from noon to 7 p.m. today, which is next to Homer High School on South West Street in the village of Homer.

The proposed project will include a slew of infrastructure and safety replacements for the high school, the elementary school and the intermediate/junior high school, said HCSD superintendent Thomas Turck in a video on the school district’s website.

“The project identifies many areas in which past projects weren’t able to be included,” Turck said. Information for projects within the proposal was collected from a building condition survey, comments from community members and the Board of Education, he added.

According to information from the video, the district will address overdue maintenance projects, some of which haven’t been addressed in over 40 years, 

The proposed project, which is totaled at $24,002,253, has $13,767,102 that will go towards the intermediate/junior high school; $4,956,323 towards the elementary school; $4,585,634 towards the high school; $462,130 towards the press box at the turf sports field; and $231,064 towards bus garage improvements.

Michael Falls, HCSD’s assistant superintendent, noted in the video that the proposed project will have “no tax impact on the community.” HCSD is planning to take out a $24 million bond for the project, which will be paid back over the next 15 years through state aid (83%) and the district’s existing debt services reserves (17%).

Improvements to the high school are as follows:

Site Improvements

  • Asphalt on parking lots
  • Parent drop-off and parking redesign
  • Sidewalks
  • Bus loop expansion

Building Improvements

  • Bathroom renovations
  • Roof replacement
  • Exterior upgrades
  • Bus garage renovations
  • Replacement of press box

Improvements to the intermediate/junior high school are as follows:

Site Improvements

  • Asphalt on parking lots
  • Parent drop-off and parking redesign
  • Sidewalks
  • Playground

Building Improvements

  • Bathroom renovations
  • Roof replacement
  • Nurse’s suite renovations
  • Library and gym renovations
  • Window replacements
  • Corridor locker replacement
  • ADA enhancements
  • Mechanical sewer enhancements

Improvements to the elementary school are as follows:

Site Improvements

  • Asphalt on parking lots
  • Parking lot and sidewalks
  • Perimeter fence replacement
  • Playground

Building Improvements

  • Bathroom renovations
  • Roof replacement
  • Boiler replacement
  • Fire alarm upgrades
  • ADA enhancements
  • Window replacements
  • Security enhancements

“We take pride in the facilities that we have for our students, but also for our community,” Turck said in the video. “When we bring our community into these facilities, we want them to be proud of it.”