LeRoy Pennysaver & News

LE ROY PENNYSAVER & NEWS - JANUARY 12, 2020 Le Roy Central School District 2020 Library Capital Project and Bus/Vehicle Purchase Public Vote January 15, 2020 2 p.m. - 7 p.m. in the Wolcott Street School Media Center PROPOSITION 1 Le Roy Central School residents are being asked to authorize undertaking renovations and improvements to the building housing the Woodward Memorial Library at 7 Wolcott Street, Le Roy NY 14482 consisting of the replacement and reconstruction of the roof, gutters and downspouts, including all related incidental and ancillary improvements, costs and expenses in connection therewith, at a not to exceed cost of $269,000. This renovation project is in conjunction with a grant the Woodward Memorial Library applied for through the New York State Aid for Public Library Construction Program that will reimburse the district up to 75% of the construction project amount. The estimated local share is currently calculated at $86,000 based on the information received from the grant program. This local share amount will be taken from existing funds, therefore no borrowing will be needed for this project. PROPOSITION 2 Le Roy Central School residents are being asked to authorize the district to borrow money for the purchase of new school busses in an amount not to exceed $368,000. This dollar amount would purchase two (2) full size 65 passenger school busses equipped with a two-way radio and a video surveillance system, one (1) 22-passenger (2 wheelchair) bus with interior surveillance equipment and two-way radio package and three (3) 6 passenger vans equipped with two-way radio systems. These purchases will replace existing vehicles. Le Roy Central School District has implemented a 10-year replacement cycle for all school busses. This replacement cycle is based on a history of mileage and usage. The District has found that maintenance costs, body repairs, rust damage and safety issues increase significantly once a bus reaches approximately 10 years of age, particularly as school busses must pass New York State D.O.T. inspections twice a year. Additionally, the strain of typical driving patterns create a faster wear on busses as an average school bus makes an approximately 100 stops and starts during a single day. All public schools in New York State receive a reimbursement from New York State for such school bus purchases over a 5 year period. Le Roy Central School District’s reimbursement ratio is currently 87%, thus the taxpayers would be responsible for the remaining 13%. The District’s plan is to borrow these funds to align the debt repayment with the reimbursement period. What Does This Mean for Taxpayers? Cost of 6 Busses: $368,000 NYS Reimbursement at 87%: ($320,160) Local Cost of 6 Busses: $47,840 The total Le Roy taxpayer cost of busses would be $47,840 for this proposition, which when divided over a five year payback period is approximately $9,568 per year from the General Fund Budget. When this amount is then divided into the assessment value total for the entire District, each taxpayer will pay approximately two and a quarter cents per thousand dollars assessed value each year. In other words, if your home is assessed for $100,000 you would pay less than $2.25 a year for this proposition. If we factor in the salvage value of the old busses, this amount is even less each year.