With a public referendum a month away, the Pine Plains School Board unveiled a campaign Tuesday night to build community support for its proposed $12.9 million capital project.
Superintendent Brian Timm said the costs will not come from taxpayers.“We will take $9.1 million from our capital reserves, and get a bond for the other $3.8 million,” he said.
The initiative was formally introduced at the board’s Sept. 16 meeting with displays showing pictures of district properties in disrepair and architectural renderings of proposed renovations: The district will present them at community and school gatherings. A video explaining the projects — featuring administration, staff, and board members — is available to view on the district’s website.
“This has been a year-long endeavor that started with a survey of our buildings’ conditions,” Timm said, citing an analysis of the district’s school, garage, and maintenance buildings by CSArch, a New York construction management and architecture firm. Timm said that based on their findings, the board identified three key areas needing improvements: health and safety, athletic [facilities], and the high school courtyard.
At the top of the list are roof repairs at Stissing Mountain Junior-Senior High School and facade work at Seymour Smith Intermediate Learning Center. “That roof hasn’t been attended to since it was installed 20-25 years ago,” Timm said. Plans also call for refurbishing the high school’s tennis courts and track, along with building a new concession facility with indoor restrooms. “There will finally be indoor plumbing, outside,” he said. “We’ll no longer need porta-potties!”
Courtyard improvements include a covered space for receptions and gatherings. Students will also be able to walk through the courtyard to get to class.
A referendum is scheduled for Wednesday, Oct. 15 in the Stissing Mountain Junior-Senior High School cafeteria, from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m.
In other business, the board discussed a Stissing Theatre Guild (STG) request to hire a technical director for high school musicals and plays. The stipend would be around $2,000 to $2,500 annually, Timm said. “We already have our own auditorium and stage tech director; this would be a separate position.” The matter was tabled until the next meeting.
Founded in 1989, the guild has staged shows at the high school for decades. The district is now formalizing its partnership, in part because of liability concerns. “We need to know who is responsible for flying the scenery and managing rigging, for safety’s sake,” Timm said.
The board approved the application for a district-led Career and Technical Education in agriculture. “This will be a new pathway to graduation,” Timm said. “Gian Starr (the district’s Director of Curriculum and Instruction) will be coming to discuss this in the near future.”
Three new school bus drivers were appointed; now the district has a full complement of drivers and substitutes. “We are still looking to hire, though, for backup,” Timm said.
During the public comment, district bus driver Vincent “Sonny” Marks, Jr. addressed the board with concerns about the school bus radios. “We need to be able to communicate, but our radios are subpar,” he said. “What do I do in an emergency if I can’t get through? How do we protect the kids? And cellphone service is no help, because that usually is poor, too.”
Timm later acknowledged the issue. “This situation is not unique to Pine Plains — it’s a rural communication problem,” he said. “We are dependent on infrastructure, and the companies we work with — for radios and cell service. But the safety of our students is paramount, and we’re addressing these issues.”