North Shore Central School District voters approve $11.8M bond for upgrades

Voters in the North Shore Central School District on Tuesday approved a nearly $11.8 million bond proposal and the spending of more than $2 million in reserve funds for myriad upgrades to athletic facilities and other infrastructure.

The passage of one proposal by a tally of 928-394 allows the district to spend $2,480,500 from its existing capital reserves to replace the track and install stadium lighting at North Shore High School in Glen Head, according to the district's website Tuesday evening. The other proposal, which passed by a 930-392 vote, will allow the district to issue an $11,756,000 bond to cover additional athletics improvements, air conditioning and other renovations.

District officials could not be reached for comment late Tuesday.

"Our track is coming to the end of its useful life," James Pappas, assistant superintendent for business, told Newsday of the need to pass Proposition 1 ahead of Tuesday's vote. "There has been a large community push for the lights for a number of years. ... We’ve had people send us pictures and videos of games going on at dusk where you can barely see the ball."

The bond proposal is a "tax-neutral" proposition, according to the district.

Instead of raising taxes to cover the debt incurred by the bond, which will be paid over 15 years, the district is "reallocating a portion of our budget," Pappas said. Last year, the district cleared its debts from a previous bond proposal. The budget funds earmarked for that debt were then used to cover "smaller capital projects throughout the district, including venting at the high school, some HVAC upgrades and a number of other smaller projects," Pappas added. Those same funds will fund the newly proposed projects.

The bond will fund the installation of air conditioning units for large spaces throughout the district's elementary schools and middle school, which will help the district comply with new state legislation regarding classroom temperatures, Pappas said. Artificial turf will replace the grass infields of the high school’s baseball and softball fields. Both athletic spaces will also get new backstops and dugouts.

Regrading and drainage improvements are slated for the middle and high school grass fields, on which varsity, junior varsity and middle school teams practice.

"They’re well overdue for an upgrade and for a leveling," Pappas said.

Money will also cover a new elevator and upgrades to the gathering room at Glen Head Elementary School, the rejuvenation of elementary school music classrooms and the replacement of outdoor bleachers and of the auditorium ceiling at the high school, Pappas said.

Work could begin on the new track, stadium lighting and various projects funded by the bond in June, according to the district. Construction on all the projects would take place over the next two or three summers.