Safety & Security Capital Project

SAFETY AND SECURITY CAPITAL PROJECT

Safety and Security Bond Presentation

Proposition #2 Addresses Districtwide Safety and Security in Tax Neutral Bond
Aside from voting on the school district budget for next year, on May 21 voters will also be asked to vote on a proposition to fund $11.8 million in safety and security projects throughout the district.

Knowing that students can’t learn unless they feel safe, and in light of school safety concerns throughout the country in the past few years, a District Safety Team, made up of parents, community members, school administrators, and law enforcement and security experts has spent much time assessing the security in our schools. Additionally, the district recently hired Safety and Security consultants to conduct a safety audit, and a list of recommendations was developed.

Much of the recommended work has been completed but larger projects cannot be covered by the annual operating budget, which the district is proposing to fund through a capital project.

Work proposed in this project includes:

• Swipe access - keyless – control on all internal doors throughout the district. Unlike keys, these cannot be duplicated and are easier to use in an emergency
• The installation of intruder-resistant security film on all ground level windows and doors
• Integrated building-wide lock down systems in all buildings
• A visitor management system in each school for identification checks against databases
• Integration of phone systems with our new voice over internet protocol (VoIP) technology
• Upgrades to existing security cameras and installation of new ones to address blind spots
• Replacement of outdated safety equipment including windows, emergency lights, and occupancy sensors

It is a sad testament to our times that these security measures have become necessary in schools throughout the country, but making these upgrades will help ensure that our staff and students are in a safe environment that is conducive to learning.

The advantage to residents of funding this type of work through a Capital Project is that much of it is eligible for state aid. We anticipate that 60% of the cost - approximately $6.3 million – will be covered by New York State.

  FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

Q. Why is this investment in the schools necessary?
A: While high quality academics in our Carmel schools are, of course, our goal, student safety and security is always our first priority, especially in light of heightened security concerns in schools around the country. Knowing that children can’t learn unless they feel safe plays a big part in our plans for Carmel schools. The initiatives in this proposition heighten security in all our buildings in a number of ways.

Q. Hasn’t the District been addressing safety all along?
A: We have implemented and installed many security measures over the years. Much of the work in the proposal addresses updating equipment that has either reached the end of its useful life or where more advanced devices and technologies have become available. Replacing big-ticket items that are approaching the end of their useful lives through a bond avoids costly, emergency action in the future, achieves economies-of scale and spreads the cost of the project over time.

Q: Can’t the District just pay for some of the work on this project through its regular budget?
A: The district undertakes much work to address safety and security as part of its annual budget, but it benefits taxpayers to do more costly projects through a capital campaign, rather than the annual budget. This way much of the work will be eligible for state aid, saving the taxpayers money. In addition, costs will be spread over a longer period of time (15 years) and thus shared by more residents living in the community and using the schools. Similar to a home mortgage, this spreads the payment out over the useful life of the improvements and minimizes the impact on the taxpayer.

Q: What is the timeline of the proposed capital project?
A: Should the community approve the proposition in May, plans and specifications will be submitted to the State Education Department for review and approval. Work will begin in the Spring of 2026 and completed through the Fall of 2026 and scheduled to maximize efficiencies and minimize disruption to our students and learning.

Q: Will New York State provide any financial support for this project?
A: Most of the project will be eligible for state aid and we anticipate that Carmel will receive more than $6.3 million from the state for this work.

Strong schools create strong communities, and also have a profound impact on property values