DEXTER, NY — With the first phase of work completed from the capital project voters approved in 2017, the General Brown Central School District is looking to continue updating its facilities and to do so at no additional cost to taxpayers.
In February 2017, voters approved a $9.4 million capital project that included paving and roof repairs at the district bus garage, Brownville-Glen Park Elementary School and the General Brown Junior-Senior High School; installing new lifts at the bus garage and replacing aged classroom cabinets at Brownville-Glen Park and Dexter elementary schools.
That work was completed in November 2018.
“We are pleased that we have been able to continue updating our facilities so that our students and staff are teaching and learning in an environment that is comfortable, safe and conducive to modern education,” said Assistant Superintendent Lisa Smith, who oversees the district’s facilities.
Because the state is reimbursing the district for 84% of the cost of the total $9.4 million project, and the district used $1.5 million from its capital reserve fund to offset the remainder of the costs, the project has not increased residents’ school property taxes.
And because bids for the overall project came in significantly less than expected, the district is now able to take on several more projects, which it is calling Phase 2, that were included as alternate projects under the umbrella of the $9.4 million capital project:
Brownville Glen Park Elementary
● Replace ceilings containing asbestos
● Replace flooring and casework in the art and music rooms
● Install new fire-rated corridor doors and frames
● Replace 17 mechanical units beyond their useful life
● Renovate nurse’s bathroom to comply with the federal Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA)
● Provide mechanical ventilation for crawl space
● Install glazing security film at all entrances and cafeteria windows
● Replace library ceiling and carpeting
Dexter Elementary
● Replace two hot water heaters
● Replace 36 plumbing fixtures
● Replace 53 mechanical units beyond useful life
● Renovate lobby bathrooms for ADA Compliance
● Install glazing security film at all entrances
● Replace library ceiling and carpeting
Junior-Senior High School
● Replace deteriorating sidewalks near the main entry
● Replace exterior locker room and exterior bathroom doors
● Replace ceilings containing asbestos
● Refurbish all 6” and 9” lockers and older locker room lockers
● Replace 5 mechanical units beyond useful life
● Renovate the TV studio into classroom space
● Renovate Room 500 into classroom space
● Install glazing security film at all entrances
● Replace library ceiling and carpeting
Bus Garage
● Scrape and paint exterior steel columns
● Paint masonry on east and west portions of the building to match the bus storage bays
● Replace metal halide lighting with LED
● Replace water heater that has exceeded its useful life
● Replace furnace that has exceeded its useful life
Each of the projects is identified as necessary in the district’s 2015 Building Condition Survey, which details facility needs district wide.
“We need to take care of our schools in the same way that residents take care of their homes: replacing our roofs when the time comes, repairing our plumbing and driveways and making sure that our infrastructure is updated as needed,” Superintendent Barbara Case said.
In October, the GB Board of Education approved awarding $2.8 million in contracts for the additional work, which is expected to begin in December. Construction will be completed outside of the regular school day, primarily during vacations and summer 2020.
“This work, and the work that was recently completed, is essential to ensuring that we are
providing our students, staff and community with schools that support our mission of preparing and inspiring each student to meet future challenges,” Case said.
