Dr. Kevin Whitaker, Jamestown Public Schools superintendent, speaks Tuesday during a public hearing on the district’s proposed budget and capital project. P-J photo by John Whittaker

There was only one comment on the Jamestown Public Schools District’s $86.5 million capital project proposal Tuesday — but what a comment it was.

City resident Doug Champ told school board members during a public hearing on the capital project they should begin laying the groundwork to move Jamestown High School from its East Second Street location elsewhere in the city, preferably the area that currently houses Jefferson Middle School.

“I have no problem with what you’ve done,” Champ said.

“I support all the education that we can get. But we have got to launch a definite platform for a new city high school by the time this school turns 100 years old.”

Champ said he had no issues with the project being proposed, but said the district should begin laying the groundwork for a new high school in the future. District officials and representatives of its architecture firm said the idea of building a new high school was discussed as they discussed the capital project, with the idea set aside in favor of renovation to the existing Jamestown High School building. Building a new building is also difficult because the state provides more aid to school districts renovating old buildings than constructing new buildings.

“The nature of the system that New York state has designed for its schools does not favor the building of new buildings from scratch,” said Dr. Kevin Whitaker, district superintendent. “It does very much favor the renovation or expansion of or additions to existing structures. … One of other things we have to be sure we balance is if we were to go in the direction of new construction there is a danger that we have a much higher local burden than if we renovate or make an addition.”

CAPITAL PROJECT

There were no other comments on the capital project during Tuesday’s hearing. The project is roughly broken up into 31% modernizing classrooms and student spaces; 26% enhancing security and safety, 20% improving classroom and corridor ventilation, 18% protecting the investment in district buildings roof and other building improvements and 5% on outdoor spaces like parking lots and sidewalks.

More than half ($44,736,000) of the overall proposed project being spent at JHS. Persell Middle School would also get a new roof and windows as well as auditorium improvements, improvements to the gym and locker rooms, work in two music rooms and restroom improvements. There would also be a slew of improvements to the building’s mechanical systems. Fletcher Elementary would see masonry work, a new roof, work to deal with a water issue in the school cafeteria, mechanical and plumbing work. Ring Elementary would get new exterior doors, masonry work, windows, building interior work including work to the school auditorium, and a host of mechanical improvements.

There is projected to be no increase in school taxes for the project if it is approved by voters. District officials expect 98% of the $86 million cost to be paid with state building aid, leaving about $1.7 million left to be paid locally.

The district has about $900,000 in EXCEL aid left from a 2006 state aid disbursement to use toward the project and proposes using $800,000 from the district’s Capital Reserve Fund for the rest of the local funding.

“It’s very important, it’s been very important to me, and I’ve shared this a number of times, that we have a fiscal plan that gives us some type of a five or seven year plan, maybe out to 10, and a capital plan that gives us a three or five or seven and out to 10 year plan around making sure we’re both fiscally sound and that our physical plant are capitally sound,” Whitaker said. “We don’t have major expenses sneaking up on us and we’re taking care of the items that we’ve already purchased, make sure that the buildings we’ve already constructed are safe and sound for kids and that we put ourselves in the best possible position over the course of the next decade.”

BUDGET PROPOSAL

There was only one comment on the proposed $89,879,178 budget, and that dealt with making sure a reading and literacy coordinator the district is looking to hire has a background in reading disabilities like dyslexia.

The budget includes a community navigator, two new school psychologists, an increase in contracted social workers, a reading and literacy coordinator, music equipment, music travel, athletic equipment, athletic uniforms and technology equipment.

The 2021-22 school budget and capital improvement project vote and school board elections will be held Tuesday, May 18, from noon to 9 p.m. Registered voters can vote at Lincoln Elementary School and Jefferson and Washington Middle Schools. There is also a proposition on the ballot to purchase new school buses after the district took the purchases out of the budget last year due to COVID-19.