Q: What is a capital project?
A: A capital project is like a home improvement project but for a school. According to NYS law, all public schools must complete a Building Condition Survey every five years, which includes a review of all occupied school buildings and grounds throughout the district. The survey identifies and prioritizes potential capital improvements and must be submitted to the NYS Education Department.
The Building Condition Survey is studied and reviewed by the district and the board of education, items are prioritized and then translated into a capital project plan to make needed improvements to instructional and non-instructional spaces such as classrooms, roofs, plumbing, electrical, paving, and playgrounds.
Q: When was our Building Condition Survey completed?
A: Our last Building Condition Survey was completed in March 2023 and it was submitted to the NYS Education Department that summer. District administrators developed the capital project with an architect and construction manager, and input from school staff, parents and the community.
Q: What does the capital project include?
A: The capital project includes items such as replacement of HVAC systems for improved indoor air quality and adding air conditioning throughout all five elementary schools, classroom additions at elementary schools to accommodate pre-k and increasing enrollment, library renovations in all schools, new playgrounds, athletic field improvements, new sound and lighting systems for the Columbia Auditorium, upgrades to sidewalks and parking lots, and infrastructure improvements at all schools.
Q: What is the cost of the capital project?
A: The cost for the project will not exceed $116 million, but due to state building aid and expiring debt, there would be no additional impact to local taxpayers.
- State Aid:
- NYS Building Aid will fund 72% of eligible project costs
- The district anticipates 84% of project costs will be eligible for building aid
- Capital Reserve:
- Voter-approved savings from previous years
- $2 million currently in a voter-approved capital reserve which will be used to offset project costs, saving local taxpayers money
- Debt Payoff:
- District nearing final payoff of debt from prior capital projects
- Older debt payments will drop off and comparable new debt payments will be added
- Result: Local taxpayer share is projected to be tax neutral
Q: What is the structure of the project financing?
A: The district will be funding the cost of the project from two sources: (1) $2,000,000 from a previously voter-approved capital project reserve fund which are savings that were set aside for the purpose of a capital project; and (2) $114,092,000 through borrowing.
The district will not issue a bond for the entire project all at once. The project is anticipated to be constructed over a 5 to 7 year period. Borrowing for the project will also occur in phases to align with the costs incurred as the project progresses. For example: The first phase of the project began in Spring 2025. Based on the scope of the work to be completed in that 1st year, the district will issue a bond anticipation note (short-term financing) for that phase of the project. Issuance of new financing through a bond anticipation note will occur at least annually as the project progresses. Upon project completion and/or no later than 5 years after the initial issuance of any bond anticipation notes that remain outstanding, the district will need to go to long term financing to issue bonds. Generally the bond repayment schedule will be over a 15-year period. From the initial borrowing at the start of the project through the final debt payment, the total length of the repayment period would range from 15 to 20 years.
The project is tax neutral because the district will create a debt repayment schedule with consideration of the amount of building aid that will be received, which will provide the same net amount of local share that the taxpayers would be responsible for as what is contained in the 2024-25 budget.
The district has a very favorable bond rating (credit rating) through Moody’s investor’s service of Aa3, which indicates to investors that the district is rated as high quality and very low credit risk. This will provide the district for favorable interest rates as compared to other municipal entities with lower bond ratings.
Q: Why can’t capital project improvements be made out of the regular school budget?
A: The regular school budget does not include funding for larger capital improvements, only ongoing maintenance. New York State building aid is available for eligible project costs through voter and NYS Education Department approved capital projects.
Through a voter approved capital project, the school district secures state building aid covering approximately 72% of eligible project costs. Financing these improvements through the annual school budget would be unaffordable and yield no building aid reimbursement.
Additionally, without a voter approved capital project, the district could be faced with addressing significant infrastructure failures, such as roofs and boilers, that would result in reallocating a portion of the regular school budget away from educational programming. As a result, it is impractical for the district to execute essential capital improvements while upholding our current academic programs and services.
The most efficient approach to accomplishing necessary renovations is through a capital project approved by both voters and the NYS Education Department.
Q: Do residents vote on the capital project?
A: Yes. A capital project must be approved by the Board of Education and then by voters of the school district through a public vote. The capital project was approved by voters on Tuesday, May 21, 2024.
Q: When did construction start?
A: Construction for the first phase of the project began in April 2025.
Q: How many phases are there in the Capital Project?
A: There are six phases in the Capital Project – 1A, 1B, 2, 3, 4, 5. View tentative/proposed schedule.
Q: What is included in the first phase of the Capital Project?
A: The Columbia High School roof and its outdoor basketball courts and tennis courts.
Q: When will Phase 1A be completed?
A: The Columbia tennis courts and basketball courts should be completed by the end of August 2025. The Columbia roof should be completed in Fall 2025, ahead of schedule.
Q: How was the work for Phase 1A selected?
A: The work for Phase 1A was selected based on the current condition of the Columbia roof, the cost effectiveness of replacing the basketball courts and tennis courts at the same time at one location, the positive community impact of replacing those athletic facilities, and the designs were less complex and could be submitted for NYSED approval quicker, enabling construction to start in the spring. Other items in the Capital Project, such as library renovations and new playgrounds, will require more stakeholder input into the designs.
The proposed project schedule also complies with the state’s maximum cost allowance regulations as Columbia High School is eligible for sufficient state aid reimbursement at this time. Other schools have had work done more recently, limiting their eligibility for state aid. Therefore, work at the other schools will be occurring later in the project timeline.
Q: Why can’t the Capital Project work begin with installing air conditioning in the elementary schools?
A: The schedule of work is based on a number of factors, most notably, the impact on school operations and the NYS Education Department’s regulations regarding eligibility for state reimbursement. School districts have limitations on how much work can be completed at a given school building and how much building aid will be available which affects how much the work may cost. The maximum amount available for each school building is reset every 5 years.
This is called maximum cost allowance. At this time, all of our elementary school buildings are not fully eligible for the maximum available state reimbursement for capital project work because work from previous capital projects was done in the past five years. As time goes on in the capital project, the elementary schools will become eligible once again, and that is when the air conditioning work will begin, as well as, playgrounds, library renovations and other parts of the project.
Additionally, the school district needs to stagger work in the project to ensure competitive pricing on bids and to have proper coverage of the construction manager.
The school district has developed a proposed schedule of work, in coordination with our construction partners LaBella Associates and Turner Construction, to complete all of the work and maintain a tax-neutral project.
Q: How long will it take to complete the entire Capital Project?
A: It is anticipated that the Capital Project will be completed by the end of 2029.
Q: Will the school district provide regular updates to staff, parents and the community regarding the Capital Project?
A: Yes. The superintendent and our construction partners will provide regular updates at public Board of Education meetings throughout the duration of the Capital Project. Additionally, information will be shared on the school website and other communication channels.
Q: Will community members be able to use the facilities included in this project?
A: Yes. The proposed capital project includes replacement of elementary school playgrounds, the Columbia tennis courts and basketball courts, as well as adding a new multipurpose turf field and 6-lane track, and a new basketball, tennis and pickleball court at Howard L. Goff Middle School. All of these facilities will be available for community use.
Updated July 2025