L&M Publications
Merrick Life • Bellmore Life • Freeport-Baldwin Leader • Wantagh-Seaford Citizen

The Freeport School District is proposing $6.9 million worth of capital improvement projects to its eight schools. This capital improvement initiative will be presented to the public in the form of a bond referendum to be voted on Tuesday, September 20.
   
The bond issue includes $5 million of upgrades to school facilities including  bathrooms,  heating, ventillation and air conditioning (HVAC) systems, security cameras and exterior lighting, lockers, some floor tile, asbestos abatement, some ceiling and window replacement, masonry work, sidewalk repair and some playground repairs. An additional $1.9 million will be used for the installation of a new synthetic turf field with field lighting at Freeport High School.
   
Money for the installation of the synthetic field will come from the school district’s capital reserve fund at no cost to residents, leaving $5 million to be bonded. The state, through a program called the Qualified School Construction Program, will assist the Freeport School District by absorbing the district’s interest costs, about $1 million for the $5 million bond issue.
     
If the public approves the bond, it will cost approximately $9 a year for a home assessed at $318,000 a year in Freeport. The bond will be for 15 years.
   
The proposed projects were evaluated school by school and a bond advisory committee  was formed to review each project.
   
The proposed projects are as follows: Columbus Avenue School would get an upgrade to its public address system, toilets, cafeteria/commons HVAC, upgrade security cameras and exterior lights and update to its playground.
   
At Archer Street School, an Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) compliant elevator would be installed as well as HVAC in the cafeteria and an upgrade to security cameras and exterior lights. Bayview Avenue School would replace classroom sinks and counters; upgrade toilets and install HVAC in the auditorium. Leo F. Giblyn School would also upgrade its toilets, security cameras and exterior lights as well as its playground. HVAC will be installed in the cafeteria; there will be floor tile replacement and asbestos abatement.
   
New Visions would expand its playground, upgrade its wireless infrastructure and change window shades in the gymnasium. At the Caroline G. Atkinson School there would be upgrades to toilets, security cameras and exterior lights. There would be sidewalk repair and replacement and repaving of the parking lot and bus circle. At J.W. Dodd Middle School all the lockers would be replaced as will some of the ceilings. There would be an upgrade to the toilets; masonry repointing, waterproofing and roof flashing as well as replacing the public address system. Finally, at Freeport High School there would be window and ceiling replacements, new HVAC in the cafeteria and an enhancement of the video surveillance system.
   
Additionally $1.9 million will be spent for a synthetic turf field and lighting at Freeport High School. It would be used by high school varsity and junior varsity football, girls and boys soccer, girls and boys lacrosse and middle school football teams.
   
The money to install the field is already in the capital reserve fund but will need voter approval to be used. If the bond fails, the synthetic turf field would not be built and the $1.9 million in the capital reserve fund will be used for other projects.
   
If the bond referendum passes on September 20, the district plans to complete all projects no later than the end of 2012. The turf field should be ready for homecoming in 2012.
   
Voting will take place at the usual school district polling places between 6 a.m. to 9 p.m.

By Laura Schofer

Laura Schofer, staff writer for L&M Publications, has been recognized with several awards for many of her feature pieces published in Bellmore and Merrick Life, The Citizen and The Leader.