From left, Jamestown Public Schools Board of Education President Paul Abbott and Superintendent Dr. Kevin Whitaker listen to a BOCES update Tuesday presented by BOCES Superintendent Dr. David O’Rourke. P-J photo by Michael Zabrodsky

Jamestown Public Schools Board of Education Tuesday received an update regarding the $49.5 million BOCES Capital Project.

BOCES Superintendent Dr. David O’Rourke spoke to board members about the overall project and JPS’ 12% contribution in 2027. The 12% equates to about $5,997,436 of the district’s budget.

In April, JPS approved the contribution.

“Primarily, this is an opportunity for us to say thank you to thank you for your partnership,” O’Rourke said.

JPS Superintendent Dr. Kevin Whitaker said in April that the Board of Cooperative Educational Services doesn’t have other means to raise funds other than the local school districts that belong to its member area.

Whitaker said the cost of the project is divided among the member districts based on their populations.

O’Rourke said the goals for the BOCES project are maintaining safe, secure and reliable facilities, and enhancing functionality by improving facilities to support current and future program needs.

“Our goals for the project were to really focus on safe, secure, and reliable facilities. This is not a project that does a lot of program enhancement. It primarily works on building envelopes and HVAC (heating, ventilation, and air conditioning), and safety systems, things that are due to be replaced, and in a couple areas we improve the facilities to help to accommodate needs from component districts in certain programs,” O’Rourke said.

Four buildings that are part of the project are Ormsby Education Center in East Aurora, Carrier Educational Center in Angola, LoGuidice Center in Fredonia, and the Hewes Center in Ashville.

All buildings are scheduled to receive information technology upgrades including new public address systems, fire alarm systems, and phone systems.

At LoGuidice, upgrades include repairs to pavement, mechanical equipment, building envelope repointing, and roofs.

At Hewes, upgrades include repairs to pavement, sidewalks, mechanical equipment, masonry, exterior doors, and a secure entrance.

At Ormsby upgrades include repairs to pavement, sidewalks, mechanical equipment, windows, doors, repointing, welding shop, and flooring.

At Carrier, upgrades include repairs to pavement, sidewalks, stairs, mechanical equipment, and sewer line improvements.

Information technology work is scheduled to begin in 2028 while work at the Hewes Center is scheduled for 2029. In 2030, work is scheduled to begin at the Ormsby Center, and work at the Carrier and LoGuidice centers is scheduled to begin in 2031.

Whitaker noted previously that JPS will get a return on New York State aid on its portion. Normally, he added, the aid would return about 98 percent in capital return state aid, but because the project is through BOCES, it will be about 92 percent aid which means the district would receive back 92 percent of the funds over five years.

In Chautauqua County, here are the rest of the school districts shares of the total cost of the project.

Bemus Point Central School District: $844,049 or 1.71%

Brocton Central School District: $788,480 or 1.59%

Cassadaga Valley Central School District: $1,205,998 or 2.44 percent

Chautauqua Lake Central School District: $895,112 or 1.81%

Clymer Central School District: $597,743 or 1.21%

Dunkirk City School District: $2,870,066 or 5.80%

Falconer Central School District: $1,650,551 or 3.33%

Forestville Central School District: $623,274 or 1.26%

Fredonia Central School District: $1,036,288 or 2.09%

Frewsburg Central School District: $1,036,288 or 2.09%

Panama Central School District: $639,795 or 1.29%

Pine Valley Central School District: $698,368 or 1.41%

Ripley Central School District: $344,916 or 0.68%

Sherman Central School District: $524,151 or 1.06%

Silver Creek Central School District: $1,375,709 or 2.78%

Southwestern Central School District: $1,896,857 or 3.83%

Westfield Academy & Central School District: $904,123 or 1.83%

In Cattaraugus County, Gowanda Central School District is $1,608,498 or 3.25%.

In other business, the board heard again from Jeff Butera. He addressed the board in May concerning alleged bullying, and vaping situations at Washington Middle School. He said he would like help to try to come up with a solution to the alleged bullying that goes on.

Butera said he owns a business, and added that the students graduating from Jamestown High School could have better skills.

“I have to hire the product you produce, and the product Ain’t that good,” Butera said.

In May Board President Paul Abbott told Butera that for efficiency of the meetings, board members don’t engage, they just listen to district residents.

But Abbott did address Butera Tuesday and said JPS has an excellent product.

“We have many excellent students,” Abbott said. “I take exception to anyone attacking the quality of the education that we provide here at Jamestown High School.”

Abbott said that he is not denying there are challenges in the district, but he also cited many excellent students participate in school music programs, and on sporting teams.

“Walk around the hallways of Jamestown High School, as I have, and you see the excellent things that are going on in our schools,” Abbott said.

He said maybe Butera should have attended a previous meeting where the board formed a safety committee.

“I spent 31 years in law enforcement, and there is no one who takes security of our students more seriously than me,” Abbott said. “So, I won’t deny that we don’t have problems. I won’t deny that there aren’t things we need to address. I take umbrage with the idea that it isn’t something that we think about every day, when we sit in these seats.”

A communication guide can be found at jpsny.org/guide. There is a link to download and print the guide as well as drop-down menus which provide links for contact information.