OBSERVER Photos by Braden Carmen Fredonia Superintendent Dr. Brad Zilliox said the District plans to propose all three drafted propositions for a capital project vote in December.

The Fredonia Central School District is taking its major capital project proposal to a vote this winter.

“We wanted to make sure that people knew that when they go to vote in December, these will be the propositions they will see,” Fredonia Superintendent Dr. Brad Zilliox said.

Proposition 1: Warm, Safe, and Dry; Proposition 2: Enlarge Music Spaces; and Proposition 3: Invest in Athletics will all be on the ballot in December for a decision from the voters. The later propositions in sequence rely on the previous proposition passing, meaning for Proposition 2 to pass, Proposition 1 must first be approved, and for Proposition 3 to pass, both previous propositions must first be approved.

Proposition 1 contains approximately $22.1 million of prioritized maintenance work for the District, down from the initial recommendation of $50 million of maintenance work the District initially was urged to address. Of the prioritized needs, more than $15 million of the maintenance will be done at the main campus, including over $7 million in roofing improvements only pertaining to the most dire areas of the roofs. The first proposition carries a 1.9% tax increase, beginning in 2025-26. The District anticipates 77% of state aid for the first proposition, with capital reserve funds, retiring debt service, and the 1.9% increase covering the remaining 23% of work that is not covered by State aid.

Proposition 2 totals $10 million of work to renovate the District’s music spaces to account for increased enrollment in music programming at Fredonia. The upgrades include a 1,930 square foot band room, a 1,200 square foot space for the orchestra, and a 930 square foot space for the chorus. The $10 million project would be reimbursed at a 78% rate by State aid, with the remaining 22% of costs requiring a 1.1% tax increase. Because it is contingent on Proposition 1 passing first, the two propositions combine for a 3% tax increase.

Proposition 3 focuses on athletic facilities upgrades, centered around a $17.7 million multi-purpose, synthetic turf athletic complex on the land behind the main campus. The proposition also includes tennis court replacement and decommissioning costs of the Orange Bowl. The total cost of Proposition 3 is $19.6 million.

The multi-purpose complex will be usable for baseball, softball, football and soccer games, with baseball and softball fields separated enough to allow for games to be held simultaneously. Grandstand bleachers will be installed, along with a press box, goal posts, dugouts, backstops, portable bleachers and portable fences for baseball and softball.

The complex would also feature a sound system. Parking will be available for 150 vehicles and approximately 1,000 guests can be accommodated at any given time. However, a concession stand and restroom facility would not be included.

While the first two propositions would contain more than $32 million of work, more than 75% of the work is eligible to be reimbursed by State aid. With the athletic facilities upgrades, only 29% will be State aided, which requires an additional 6.9% tax increase on top of the 3% tax hike attached to the first two propositions. In all, the District would need voters to approve a 9.9% increase for all three propositions to pass.

The 9.9% increase for all three propositions to pass is billed by Young and Wright as a one-time increase. However, the life of the project for repayment is anticipated to be 17 years. If approved, the school tax figure would increase by the approved amount beginning in 2025-26, but would remain “built in” to the tax levy at the new increased figure moving forward, rather than going back down to what the figure was prior to the increase.

The District believes the average tax impact for residents of the District would be an additional $319 per year for all three propositions to pass. For a homeowner to calculate the impact the project would have on their own tax bill, representatives from Young and Wright and Municipal Solutions urged residents to review their most recent school tax bill, then add the increase in top of the figure they were billed last year — a 1.9% increase for Proposition 1; 3% for both 1 and 2; and 9.9% for all three propositions.

While the tax impact would be felt beginning in 2025-26, construction on any approved projects would likely begin in the summer of 2027, with the hope of being completed by the 2027-28 school year.

The District received feedback from residents and interested parties for the past two years, with several speakers addressing the Board of Education at meetings, along with public forums and surveys conducted. The most recent survey showed more than 80% of respondents favored the first proposition; more than 60% supported the second proposition; and just below 50% were in favor of all three propositions. Those figures were encouraging enough for the District to move forward with a December vote on all three propositions.

In the meantime, the District will begin the State Environmental Quality Review process. If no environmental issues arise, Board of Education resolutions will be drafted and voted on in October before they are officially approved for the vote in December.

“Absolutely, the District will be communicating more about the project as we get closer to December,” Zilliox said.

Board of Education President Steve Johnston thanked his fellow Board members, Zilliox, Alyssa Catlin of Young and Wright, and everyone else who has been involved in the process to date.

“It’s been a long road and we’ve got many miles to go, but (I have) appreciation for what we’ve done up to this point,” Johnston said.