Manhasset School District Superintendent Gaurav Passi outlined the Long Term Facilities Planning Committee’s 50 district-wide projects and renovations totaling nearly $44 million during Tuesday night’s board of education meeting.
The projects slated for Munsey Park, Shelter Rock and the Secondary School, fall under three categories, safety and security, infrastructure and academic and co curricular.
Out of the 50 projects, 14 are safety and security, totaling $10.4 million, 20 are infrastructure, totaling $11.9 million, and 16 are academic and co curricular, totaling $21.6 million.
The committee, Passi said, did extensive research on what each school needs upgrades to and toured each building and found a total of nearly 70 projects that could be undertaken. That list was then condensed to 50 projects after committee members decided on what took precedence.
“Each [committee] meeting lasted approximately three hours and included extensive discussion and analysis of all of the proposed projects put forth for consideration, a total of 69 projects totaling $59. 1 million were considered,” Passi said. “The committee ultimately coalesced around 50 projects totaling 44 million, including safety and security, infrastructure, academic and co curricular projects.”
Some of the main infrastructure enhancements include a boiler replacement and exterior wall restoration at Munsey Park, blackbox multipurpose room and upper classroom reconstruction at Shelter Rock and auditorium stage, seat, sound equipment repair and replacement at the Secondary School, Passi said.
Reconstructing the Secondary School’s tennis courts, basketball courts, baseball field bleachers and stadium track lighting are also projects that the district could undertake five years from now, officials said.
Repairs to Munsey Park and the Secondary School are certainly warranted, Passi said, with the schools being constructed more than 80 years ago.
Even the Shelter Rock building, he said, was constructed 54 years ago and while all three are still “beautiful buildings,” more work is required to keep them modernized inside and out.
In total, the Secondary School’s projects will cost approximately $24.3 million, while Munsey Park’s projects will cost $11 million and Shelter Rock’s will cost $8.6 million, according to officials.
The cumulative projects will be put up for adoption by the board during its Oct. 6 meeting so that the $44 million bond would be up for community vote on Dec. 8, officials said.
Passi said the average taxable assessed value of a Manhasset home is around $1,400.
If the board adopts the bond and it is passed by the community in December, Passi said, the scope of work on the school tax bill would be less than $350 annually for the average assessed value of a Manhaset home.
