OBSERVER Photo by Braden Carmen Forestville Superintendent Dr. John O’Connor detailed a program through the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority that could lead to a heating and cooling system installation at the District at no impact to taxpayers.

FORESTVILLE — Holding true to what Superintendent Dr. John O’Connor said a year ago, the Forestville Central School District is estimating a tax increase — at approximately 3% — following back-to-back years of no increase.

But it wasn’t all bad news coming from the District at a recent meeting.

Through the Green Energy Project from the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA), the District is eyeing an installation of an air conditioning system in both of the District’s campuses.

Last spring, voters approved a capital project in the amount of $11,875,000, which came at no additional cost to taxpayers due to the District’s favorable state aid ratio and the expenditure of $2.2 million from the District’s Capital Reserve Fund.

Construction is targeted to begin in the spring of 2026 following review of the project plans by the State Education Department in 2025.

The plan is extensive, including various maintenance upgrades both inside and out of multiple District facilities. Among the improvements proposed in the project were a repair of the cafeteria’s outside wall; a front entrance renovation at the Elementary School to mitigate flooding concerns; brick repointing at each of the District’s main buildings to address water damage; locker room upgrades at both buildings; and an upgrade to the Middle/High School Weight Room to provide access for the community after school hours.

Many other areas were also targeted as part of the initial planning phase of the proposal, including a major heating and cooling system, but it was deemed too cost-prohibitive for the District to pursue with all of the other needs.

But now, things might have changed.

After voters approved the capital project plans last May, the District met with a representative from NYSERDA. The District inquired about grants available for work that was proposed in the planning stage of the project, including work that was included that could potentially provide wiggle room for the District as the project proceeded.

It was then that the District learned of grants available funding available for heating and cooling systems. If approved, the upgrades would have no impact on taxpayers.

“We thought it was too good to be true,” O’Connor said. He later spent time researching the grant funding opportunities, and so far, so good.

O’Connor stated the only downside to the grant funding is that in order for the work to be covered at no tax impact, voters would need to re-approve the proposed capital project that was approved last May at a new total cost of the project. While the work would be covered by the grant, it would still first need to be borrowed by the District.

The upgrades are estimated at $7.4 million, which would bring the total cost of the project to $19,275,000. O’Connor called the decision to go back out for a vote “a no-brainer,” as long as what he believes as of now is truly the case.

O’Connor believes the state’s grant funding would cover the cost of the upgrades left over – approximately $1 million — after applying the District’s aid ratio of roughly 86%. Under that assumption, voters would still be presented with a proposal that requires no tax increase. Under those same circumstances, voters approved the proposal last year by a vote of 128-31. The 2024-25 School Budget passed by a vote of 129-32.

The Board of Education passed the necessary bond resolution for the voter-approved capital project at its latest meeting. The bond resolution states the project has an estimated maximum cost of $11,875,000, with financing not to exceed $9,675,000 with the expenditure of $2.2 million from the District’s Capital Reserve Fund.

The Board also approved the bid from Kinley Construction for the 2024-25 Capital Outlay Project.

Also of note, Melody Voigt will take over as District Clerk on Feb. 13 in place of Kristin Irwin, who is resigning on Feb. 12. Voigt, a former School Secretary, is also replacing Irwin as Secretary to the Superintendent beginning on Feb. 1. Voigt will have a one-year probationary period, concluding Jan. 31, 2026, on her appointment set to run through June 30, 2028. To serve as District Clerk for the remainder of the school year, Voigt receives a prorated stipend of $4,750.

The Board of Education also approved Cecelia Egan as an uncertified substitute teacher and floater monitor aide; Ella Conley was approved as an intern with Speech Therapist Heather Kaczor; and Kaytlynn Franklin and Trevor Napoli were approved as volunteers.

An Advanced Placement World History class field trip to Washington, D.C., was approved by the Board. The trip takes place from March 9-11. The District also added the Lunar New Year to its paid holiday schedule.

The next meeting of the Forestville Board of Education is Feb. 13, following a budget workshop at 5:15 p.m. in the Middle/High School library. The budget will be adjusted in the coming months once more information is made available prior to a vote in late May.