RIPLEY — Ripley Central School District residents will have the opportunity to vote on the district’s proposed capital project on Wednesday, September 22 from 2 to 8 p.m.

Superintendent William Caldwell presented the project details at a public hearing on Thursday, Sept. 16, just before the Board of Education meeting.

Caldwell outlined the items in the project, and said that one of the main objectives was that the project would not have an impact on the district’s tax levy. Therefore, the project is designed to be tax neutral, he said. The project has a cost of $3.91 million, with 95% ($2.75 million) to be covered by aid from New York State, he added.

The 5% ($1.51 million) which the district needs to provide will be obtained from the following sources: $575,000 will come from the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA), $400,000 will be covered by the district’s capital reserve, Excel Aid will cover $39,550, and $145,000 will be from the district’s general fund, Caldwell said.

Gordon W. Jones has been retained as the architect for the project, which is scheduled to begin in July 2022, Caldwell said. If all goes according to plan, the work should be completed by June, 2023. He said the architects have worked to address all of the district’s physical concerns while remaining fiscally responsible.

The Stage 1 items in the project include roof repair, replacement of unit ventilators in south wing, relocation of main office and district rooms 119 through 122 to provide increased security, reconstruction of rest rooms 172 and 173 to ADA specifications, and replacement of rooftop units to include air conditioning at cafeteria and small gym. The Stage 2 items in the project will be: to replace a paved area to include a tennis court, a middle play court, and a basketball court; and to replace and reconstruct the stone parking lot area, Caldwell said.

Ripley resident Mary Beth Chess asked if, considering the scope of the project, it is the intention of the district to keep the school open for many years to come. Caldwell responded in the affirmative, noting that enrollment is steady. “We started this school year with more kids than we ended with last year,” he said.

Caldwell also said that two years ago, the district conducted an exit poll survey which raised the question of whether all of the students should be tuitioned to Chautauqua Lake Central School. “The community overwhelmingly said we want the elementary students here,” he said. “So, Ripley Central School should be here for a long time — enrollment is actually increasing.”

Chess also asked if the project will encompass repairs or improvements in the section of the building that the town leases from the school. Caldwell responded that there will be a small impact on the town building as far as the roof goes, but nothing else. “As of right now, nothing that we are doing really impacts them and it’s nothing that they requested,” he said.