SILVER CREEK — The Silver Creek Board of Education and Superintendent Todd Crandall are planning to conduct “several public information sessions,” Crandall said during a recent meeting, regarding a March 2018 referendum for the district’s latest capital project.

The March date remains tentative, but if finalized, area voters will be asked to approve the capital project, which, among other things, calls for an additional six elementary classrooms and an extensive transformation of the health facility from it’s current “nurse’s office” designation into a more modern expansive “health suite.”

Crandall is planning to meet with the architects from Clark Patterson Lee this month to begin sharing information with the public and community.

“We’re going to use the next several months to articulate the scope of the project,” Crandall told the OBSERVER. “We will likely visit senior groups, the Chamber of Commerce in Hanover and other groups to share the details of the project. We’re going to be completely transparent.”

Crandall said that his team will “put together diagrams, pictures and we’ll play a video that shows what the roof looks like now and what we plan to do with it.” That video will also be accessible via the district’s website.

Crandall emphasized that if approved, the project will “have no impact on local taxes. It’s all supported through the New York State Building Aid.

A separate funding program called the Smart School Bond Act was recently approved after a multi-month review and the district has put out bid requests for the work.

“We’re looking to do that work over February break when the kids aren’t in session,” Crandall said.

“We continue to make certain that all the pieces are coming together in the next month, month and-a-half,” said Crandall. “We still have a few pieces coming together, but conceptually, if we have a March 20, 2018 vote, working backwards, we’re taking (the next two months) through January 9 to (continue) to review the capital project.”

Crandall said that they are expecting the preliminary plan to be approved by Albany “right around Dec. 1. At that point, it’s pretty solid. We’re being very transparent and we’re taking steps so the community feels comfortable with the entire process.”

No capital project can occur, Crandall said, “until the vote takes place. The board of education does not have the legal authority to launch a capital project without the community voting on it.”

The following is a tentative timeline of events leading up to the proposed March 20, 2018 vote:

¯ Jan. 9, 2018: Board meeting to accept the project referendum voter timeline.

¯ Jan. 10: place a legal ad in the paper (required 45 to 49 days prior to the vote date).

¯ March 13: Hold a public hearing from 5:30 – 7 p.m. in the cafeteria or auditorium, prior to the board meeting or as part of the board meeting.

¯ March 20: Vote.

The following is the tentative roll out plan to educate the community and constituents:

¯ Key ideas to be shared:

— Needs of deferred maintenance in the project/maintaining district investment in buildings, grounds and student programming.

— Increased health and safety throughout the district.

— Enhance student experience.

— Zero percent tax increase to fund the project.

¯ Nov. 28 or December: Architects present at board workshop, defining the scope, and integration of Clerk of the Works, projected schedule/timeline and to answer questions.

¯ December: Architects will be available to meet with the board, if necessary, to answer any final questions and/or present any final information before a Jan. 9 board resolution to approve the referendum project vote.

¯ Jan. 9: The board meets to accept the project referendum voter timeline.

¯ Jan. 25: Mail the special edition Silverliner/project proposal, to help educate the community on the project’s undertaking.

¯ Week of Feb. 5 – March 13 Meeting with the following community groups:

— Sheridan Happy Seniors

— Silver Creek Senior Citizens

— Mt. Carmel Social Club

— Athletic Booster Clubs for SCCS (Silver Creek Central School)

— Music Booster Clubs for SCCS

— Little League/Softball organizations

— Building level faculty meetings

— PTSA

The Silver Creek Board of Education and Superintendent Todd Crandall are planning to conduct “several public information sessions,” Crandall said, regarding a March 2018 referendum for the district’s latest capital project.

The March date remains tentative, but if finalized area voters will be asked to approve the capital project, which, among other things, calls for an additional six elementary classrooms and an extensive transformation of the health facility from it’s current “nurse’s office” designation into a more modern expansive “health suite.”

Crandall is planning to meet with the architects from Clark Patterson Lee this month to begin sharing information with the public and community.

“We’re going to use the next several months to articulate the scope of the project,” Crandall told the OBSERVER. “We will likely visit senior groups, the Chamber of Commerce in Hanover and other groups to share the details of the project. We’re going to be completely transparent.”

Crandall said that his team will “put together diagrams, pictures and we’ll play a video that shows what the roof looks like now and what we plan to do with it.” That video will also be accessible via the district’s website.

Crandall emphasized that if approved the project will “have no impact on local taxes. It’s all supported through the New York State Building Aid.

A separate funding program called the Smart School Bond Act was recently approved after a multi-month review and the district has put out bid requests for the work.

“We’re looking to do that work over February break when the kids aren’t in session,” Crandall said.