Facilities referendum passes in North Merrick

The facilities referendum held by the North Merrick School District on Dec. 12 passed a public vote, with 181 yes votes and 43 no votes.

The $1.2 million referendum, which includes renovations at Camp, Fayette and Old Mill Road schools, will be paid for by a capital reserve fund that was established in 2009.

The money, which has already been set aside and budgeted, will have no effect on North Merrick residents’ property taxes.

“On behalf of our Board of Education and staff, I would like to thank the community for their support of our approved facilities referendum,” said North Merrick Superintendent David Feller. “In addition, I would like to express my appreciation to James Saitta, director of school facilities, for his key role in the development of proposed projects, as well as for the highly informative presentations that he delivered at a variety of community meetings.”

The construction projects include the expansion of the bus loop at Camp Avenue Elementary School to provide safer entry and exit, and the replanting of grass in front of the school’s front entrance.

At Old Mill Road, the sidewalk surrounding the bus loop will be repaved, and a curb will be added.

The water heater will be replaced at Fayette, and gymnasium padding will also be replaced there.

The student restrooms at Fayette and Old Mill Road will be renovated to comply with the Americans with Disabilities Act. Also, floor replacement will occur at all three schools to remove asbestos.

For the renovations to occur, approval must be granted by the New York State Department of Education. Feller said that detailed plans for each project would be submitted to the department, which will review the plans before reaching a decision. “We will certainly keep the community informed as we move forward,” said Feller, who added that he hopes to complete the renovations next summer.

If approved, the district will put the projects out to bid, seeking qualified vendors to compete for the various projects. Additionally, Feller said that Nassau County Legislator Dave Denenberg, a Democrat from Merrick, has pledged a $25,000 grant for repairs to the front of Camp Avenue, to make the area “a more functional and user-friendly environment.”