Board awards bids for EXCEL Aid Capital Project

   The board awarded bids for the $5 million voter approved EXCEL Aid Capital Project. The scope of the project includes improvements to the boiler/heating systems in both the elementary and middle/high school buildings, upgrades to the computer network infrastructure, renovation of the middle school gymnasium and installation of a new fire alarm system. Work on the project will begin very soon and Dinolfo said staff, students and visitors to the school buildings will definitely see the construction process underway. Plans are in place for temporarily relocating elementary students to other rooms while the work is being done in individual classrooms. The majority of the project will be completed during the 2008-09 school year and over summer vacation.

   The district received State Education Department approval for the plans last May but waited until the conclusion of the busy summer construction season before advertising for bids, which resulted in a more competitive process. The district received 48 bids for six areas of the project. Bids were awarded to the following companies:

• Asbestos abatement – Sunshine Environmental
• General trades – Patrick Development
• HVAC – T. Bell Corporation
• Plumbing – Crosby-Brownlie, Inc.
• Electrical – Blackmon-Farrell Electric, Inc.
• Telecommunications – Bethany Technologies Co, LLC.

   The board approved extending the bid for natural gas with UGI Energy Services, Inc. for the period July 1, 2009 through June 30, 2010 for the Genesee Valley Gas Buyers, which includes the school districts of Cal-Mum, Avon, Geneseo, Livonia, Mt. Morris, York, Warsaw and Livonia. The consortium of gas buyers saves school districts on their energy costs by allowing the group to bid and lock in a natural gas price when the market endures a price drop. Business Manager Patrick Donegan said locking in the 2009-10 natural gas price results in an 11 percent savings.

Both propositions approved for EXCEL project
June 26, 2007

   Proposition 1 is for $4,600,000 and carries a zero percent tax increase. It includes boiler and heating system replacement, expansion of energy management systems and improvements to the district’s technology infrastructure.

Goal for increased voter awareness & turnout
for EXCEL project

   Caledonia-Mumford Central School Board of Education and administration say increased voter turnout is essential in the upcoming EXCEL Aid capital project vote on June 26, 2007. Voters rejected the initial $5.4 million EXCEL Aid Capital Project in March 2007 with less than 400 district residents casting their vote. School officials believe low voter turnout due to inadequate communication about the EXCEL Aid capital project, contributed to voter rejection. Thirty school districts in the western New York region hosted EXCEL Aid capital projects in the recent months. Cal-Mum and Geneva schools are the only two that voters rejected.

   The board of education unanimously voted to put the EXCEL Aid project before the voters for a second time. School Board President John McCreedy said the EXCEL Aid project is too important to not bring it before the voters again. EXCEL Aid is state aid allotted to every school district in New York State to address needed building upgrades and improvements. It requires voter approval to accept the aid. Business Manager Patrick Donegan said Cal-Mum is scheduled to receive $352,000 in EXCEL Aid, if the voters say yes on June 26.

   "New York State wants to give Cal-Mum $352,000. The money allotted for Cal-Mum is sitting in Albany, waiting for voters to accept it," Donegan explained. "By voting to accept the EXCEL Aid, voters are bringing their tax dollars back to their home school district rather than it going elsewhere," he added.

   The board split the original $5,040,000 project into two separate propositions this time around.

   Proposition 1 is for $4,600,000 and carries a zero percent tax increase. It includes boiler and heating system replacement, expansion of energy management systems and improvements to the district’s technology infrastructure.

   Proposition 2 is for $440,000, and carries a 2 cent per thousand of assessed value increase in taxes. It includes an upgraded fire alarm system and renovation of the middle school gym to accommodate improved physical education instruction and community use of the gym. Approval of proposition 2 is contingent on approval of proposition 1. The 2 cent per thousand of assessed value increase in taxes would result in a $2 per year increase on a property valued at $100,000.

   Superintendent of Schools David V. Dinolfo said that we heard concerns about the need to improve communications and responded with new and innovative ways to get information to the public and also, bringing the public inside the schools so they can learn about the work proposed first hand.

   The plan included campus tours for the district residents. Morning and evening tours were scheduled to accommodate residents’ schedules. A small number of residents participated in the tours so far, however, Dinolfo said those that did reported that they had their questions answered about the work proposed in the project and enjoyed the opportunity to see the numerous changes that have been implemented district wide. They also asked frank questions of the superintendent about why some of the work proposed for the EXCEL project wasn’t done in the last capital project. Dinolfo said planning for the 2005 capital project started at least two years prior when rising energy costs were not quite as concerning and the current boiler systems were still within reasonable condition. Today, four years later, with the EXCEL money targeted for energy improvements, the board of education and administration believe it is the right time to do the extensive project.

   As residents toured each building, they expressed their support for the increased security measures implemented at each school, particularly the security cameras and the buzzer alert entry door system. Security, energy and environmental systems are supported by the district’s technology infrastructure, one of the areas targeted for improvement in the EXCEL Aid project.

   Using an entirely new design, Cal-Mum produced a more visually appealing, full color newsletter outlining the details of the EXCEL Aid capital project. The newsletter was mailed to every household in the district.

   Perhaps the most innovative communication tool the school district came up with is a DVD produced by faculty, staff and students, explaining the areas of work encompassed in the EXCEL Aid project. The DVD, called Cal-Mum EXCEL Aid Capital Project: What It’s All About, is free and available in several downtown businesses and banks, the town and village offices, the Caledonia and Mumford Libraries and at each school’s main office. To request a free DVD, call the district office at 538-6811.

   "We understand that parents and residents are busy with work and family commitments. The goal of the DVD is to put the information into the hands of the voter, to review at their own convenience, rather than trying to make time to attend an evening public information meeting that may be inconvenient for them," Dinolfo explained.

   The district did hold a public information meeting on June 12 in the elementary school auditorium for those who prefer a personal presentation of the project’s details. They hope all of their combined efforts to increase public awareness will bring people out to the polls to approve the proposed EXCEL Aid project.

   Complete information about the EXCEL Aid capital project is available on the school’s website, www.cal-mum.org 

    An email account is set up to receive residents’ questions and concerns at excelproject@cal-mum.org 

   Voting will be held in the middle school lobby from noon until 9 p.m. on June 26, 2007.

EXCEL Capital Project

   Eligible voters in the Caledonia-Mumford Central School district will go to the polls Tuesday, March 27 to decide on a proposed $5,040,000 capital project. The district will use $352,000 of EXCEL aid to help fund the project along with $300,000 of the district's capital reserve fund and 85.6% state building aid.

   EXCEL is an allocation of funding provided to every school district in New York State to address needed building improvements. Approval of the project would add two cents per $1,000 of assessed property value to the tax levy for the next 15 years (before STAR).

   Highlights of the project include replacing old boilers in both the elementary and middle school buildings, improved ventilation and casework, air conditioning the second floor elementary library and middle school computer lab, renovation of the middle school gymnasium, improved fire and security systems, updating the computer wiring system and installation of Smartboards.

   Some taxpayers have raised the question, "How does $352,000 of EXCEL aid and $300,000 of capital reserve funds generate a $5.4 million project? Business Manager Patrick Donegan explained that the State Education Department allots building aid to every school district in the state using a complicated formula. Caledonia-Mumford will receive 85.6% in return for every dollar spent on this project.

   State aid is money that legislators have included in the State budget to assist public schools with large capital projects. If Caledonia-Mumford does not use its share, it will be allocated to other schools in the State who are engaging in capital projects. Donegan explained.

   The news is even brighter concerning the proposed 2007-2008 annual school budget. As promised in his campaign, Gov. Elliot Spitzer has prepared a State budget that indicates reform in the funding of public education. Following the EXCEL Capital Project vote, the CM Board of Education is expected to adopt the proposed 2007-2008 budget which includes the largest increase in state aid ever for Cal-Mum and a zero per-cent increase to taxpayers. Superintendent of Schools David V. Dinolfo wrote in the recent school newsletter, "The proposed 2007-2008 school budget addresses the district's goals of maintaining good class sizes, adding college credit earning high school classes, expanding technology and implementing instructional improvements in the middle school."

   Voting for the EXCEL Capital Project will be held March 27 from noon until 9 p.m. in the middle school entrance. The School Board is expected to adopt the proposed 2007-2008 budget with a zero percent increase on the same night at their regular 7 p.m. meeting in the District Office. School Board meetings are open to the public.

Cal-Mum joins other schools in EXCEL capital project

   Caledonia-Mumford Central School is joining dozens of other public schools in New York who are using EXCEL Aid to complete large capital projects. The Cal-Mum Board of Education unanimously approved the $5.040,000 project at their January 23, 2007 meeting.

   Eligible voters in the Cal-Mum School District will go to the polls Tuesday, March 27, 2007 to approve the EXCEL capital project.

   EXCEL AID is the result of an April 24, 2006 law signed into effect by former Gov. George Pataki. Expanding Our Children's Education and Learning provides an allocation of aid to every school district in New York State to address needed building upgrades. Caledonia-Mumford will receive $352,000 of EXCEL AID for a two year period that expires at the end of the 2007-08 school year.

   Projects eligible for EXCEL aid must fall within one or more of five areas:

1. Expand and upgrade the use of technology for classroom educational purposes.
2. Address health and safety improvements in school buildings.
3. Improve campus accessibility for those with disabilities.
4. Expand the availability of adequate and appropriate instructional spaces.
5. Reduce energy costs and consumption.

   Cal-Mum's EXCEL capital project will include work in areas 1, 2 and 5 and specifically encompasses:

• Elementary School heating system/classroom casework
• ES library and auditorium air conditioning
• Computer network upgrades
• Middle School gymnasium renovation
• MS computer lab air conditioning
• MS/HS new boilers
• MS/HS fire alarm improvements

   Work at the elementary school, particularly the replacement of the boilers and the switch to a hot water heating system, will result in energy savings to further reduce annual costs and positively impact the future tax burden, report school district officials.

   "The work done at the elementary school will touch every classroom and will improve the heating and ventilation quality of the building," Superintendent of Schools David V. Dinolfo said.

   State aid will cover 85.6% of the project. The district will use the additional $352,000 of EXCEL aid together with $300,000 of capital reserve funds to fund a project total of $5,040,000 over 15 years.

   If approved, the project would increase property taxes by two cents per thousand of assessed value. A property valued at $100,000 would see a $2 increase in taxes per year. The star exemption for homeowners and senior citizens would further reduce the tax impact.

   The district will hold an EXCEL capital project budget hearing on Tuesday, March 20, 2007 in the Elementary School auditorium at 7 p.m. Voting will be held Tuesday, March 27, 2007 from noon until 9 p.m. in the Middle School entrance foyer. Absentee ballots are available in the district office or by calling 538-3401.