001Let's talk about a proposal that's on the table for the Cornwall Central School District. We've put together a capital project bond for voters to address necessary improvements. And we're going to walk through exactly what's inside, piece by piece, so you know what it's all about. What we're looking at is a manageable three-part plan that the district has developed to address urgent needs in all of its schools. I mean, if everything gets the green light, we're talking about a potential investment of over $80 million. It's all about necessary upgrades and expanding the facilities that need addressing for the students. Okay, let's dive into the details. Here's our road map. We'll start with a big picture. Then we'll break down each of the three propositions one by one. After that, we'll hit the bottom line, what it
002means for your taxes. Finally, we'll cover exactly how the vote itself works. Now, the first thing to know is that this isn't just one big all-or-nothing vote. The district split the project into three separate parts, each with a totally different focus. This way voters can actually weigh in on each component of the bigger vision. And here's a quick look at how those pieces stack up. You can see right away that proposition one, the foundational stuff, is the biggest chunk by far at over $44 million. Then you've got proposition two for new classrooms at about $21 million. And proposition three for athletics coming in at just over 14 and 1/2 million dollars. All right, let's dig into that biggest piece, proposition one. This is the bedrock of the whole plan. It covers a huge range of
003essential upgrades, critical improvements, and important safety projects that will literally touch every single school in the district. So, here it is, that nearly $45 million number. But, here's the kicker. The really crucial part. This whole proposition, which covers all that critical infrastructure, is specifically designed to have no additional tax impact. So, what does it pay for? Well, at the high school and middle school, it tackles some major priorities. We're talking new safety systems like fire alarms and PAs, but also some huge logistical fixes. Like a newly redesigned parent drop-off loop at the middle school to help with all that traffic, plus a necessary cafeteria and kitchen expansion. And this work spreads all across the district. The elementary schools are set to get key modernizations. Things like classroom renovations and finally getting AC in the auditoriums.
004Plus, you've got essential reconstructions like new roofing and paving. It even covers a new maintenance garage and making the district office ADA accessible. Okay, so that was Prop 1. All about upgrading what we already have. Now, let's look at Proposition 2, because this one is all about expansion. It's specifically designed to create more classroom space and tackle those growing capacity needs. For this part of the project, the district is asking voters to approve over $21 million for new construction, targeting the schools where space is getting really tight. And the plans really show you the goal here. It includes needed classrooms and restrooms at the middle school. An eight-classroom, two-story addition at Cornwall Elementary. And an expansion at Cornwall-on-Hudson that would turn old kitchen space into new classrooms. Now, here's a really important rule you have
005to understand. This proposition for new classrooms, it's completely dependent on the first one passing. Think of it like this. The district needs to get the thumbs up for the foundational repairs in Prop 1 before it can even think about building brand new additions. All right. Let's move on to the final piece of the plan. This one is entirely focused on upgrading the athletic facilities over at Cornwall Central High School. This is a proposal for nearly $15 million to address the ball fields not included in the previous 2022 referendum work. This would be a total game-changer. The plan involves moving the baseball and softball fields, putting in modern synthetic turf, adding a whole new multi-sport field, and this is a big one. Finally, fixing the terrible drainage problems that have been a headache for years. And
006this one has a catch two, double dependency, actually. It can only happen if voters say yes to the foundational projects in Proposition 1 and yes to the classroom additions in Proposition 2. It's kind of like the final optional layer of this whole big project. So, after all that, we get to the question everybody's asking. What does this all mean for my wallet? Now that we know what's in each proposition, let's break down the estimated financial impact for folks in the district. This table lays it out really clearly. First, look at the column for proposition one. Zero tax impact, just like they said. Now for an example, let's take a home with a taxable assessed value at $400,000. If prop two passes, that would be an estimated increase of $240 a year. If all three propositions
007pass, the total estimated increase for that same home will be $540 a year. Okay, last but not least, let's quickly go over how the voting process itself is going to work. Because when you head to the ballot box, you're not just answering one question, you're answering three separate ones. This really shows you that sequential dependency we've been talking about. The best way to think about it is like building blocks. Proposition one is the foundation. You can only add the second block, proposition two, if that foundation is approved. And you can only put the third block, proposition three, on top if the first two are already in place. So, the day to decide is May 19th. From tax neutral repairs that touch every school to new classrooms for growing enrollment and a critical athletic field overhaul,
008the community now has a multi-layered choice to make. The decision on how to invest in the future of Cornwall schools is now in the hands of the voters. For more information about our proposed capital projects, please visit at website at cornwallschools.com {forward slash} capital.