Merrick voters to decide $19.9M bond

Capital project would include 5,800 sq. foot addition at Chatterton

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On Dec. 6, Merrick voters will have the final say on whether to borrow $19.9 million toward a number of major repairs and renovations at district schools.

If approved by voters, the entire capital project would cost $24.9 million, $5 million of which would come from the district’s fund balance, according to school officials.

Superintendent Dr. Dominick Palma said on Tuesday that the renovations would provide “a 21st-century learning environment for children.”

“Merrick School District’s newest school building was built over 50 years ago, and the oldest building is past its 90th year,” he said. “The project will allow for renovations of bathrooms, replacement of deteriorating classroom casework, and replacement of the heating systems with more efficient equipment that can also provide air-conditioning for better temperature control and airflow.”

As part of the plan, Chatterton Elementary School, in downtown Merrick, would receive a 5,800 square-foot multipurpose room to house certain academic intervention services that have been provided in a space that was never intended for student instruction, Palma added.

Parking lots, sidewalks and paved play areas would also receive necessary repairs, and electrical systems at all schools would be brought up to current codes.

According to school officials, for a home in the district with a market value in the low- to mid-$300,000 range, the annual tax impact would be $76 per year. For a home with a value of $600,000, the impact would $106. And for a home valued between $900,000 and $1 million, the impact would be about $241.

“We encourage all residents to vote on Dec. 6 and thank them for their participation,” Palma said.

The polls will be open at Levy-Lakeside Elementary School, at the south end of Babylon Road, on Dec. 6 from 7 a.m. to 9 p.m. Look for bond voting results next week at www.liherald.com