The District premiered an eight-minute video at its latest Board of Education meeting, featuring statements from several members of the District, including Superintendent Dr. Brad Zilliox, Business Administrator John Forbes, Music Department Instructional Leader Andy Bennett, and Middle School Teacher and longtime Softball Coach Jesse Beers.

Zilliox began the video by saying the District is “very proud and excited to be sharing information” with the public regarding its proposed capital project, which totals $52 million in work across three propositions to be voted on separately at the time to vote. The three proposals are as follows: Proposition 1, keeping students warm, safe, and dry; Proposition 2, investing in music students; and Proposition 3, updating facilities for student athletes. Proposition 1 accounts for $22.1 million of maintenance work; Proposition 2 accounts for $10 million of work to enhance music spaces; and Proposition 3 accounts for $19.6 million of work to athletic facilities, including the installation of a multi-purpose turf field.

If all three propositions pass, a 10% tax increase will be imposed on district taxpayers. The later propositions in order are contingent upon the earlier propositions passing, meaning that Proposition 2 first requires Proposition 1 to pass, and Proposition 3 requires Proposition 1 and 2 to pass. The tax impact is defined by the District as a “one time increase”, beginning in the 2025-2026 fiscal year. The amount increased that year would then “level off” and remain as a dedicated portion of the annual tax bill for the anticipated 17 year repayment period.

Forbes spoke to Proposition 1, noting the District’s recent Building Conditions Survey conducted by architects from Young and Wright, beginning in the summer of 2023. Of the $50 million of necessary building upgrades uncovered in that survey, the District prioritized $22.1 million worth of work to be included in the current proposal. Of the prioritized needs, more than $15 million of the maintenance will be done at the main campus, including over $7 million in roofing improvements only pertaining to the most dire areas of the roofs.

Fredonia Superintendent Dr. Brad Zilliox shared his excitement for the upcoming vote regarding the district’s capital project proposal. The vote is Thursday.

The District has not completed a substantial capital project since 2000, when approximately $33 million of work was completed. Without addressing the buildings in a major way since then put the District in a position where many needs arose all at once, as shown by the $50 million figure identified by Young and Wright.

THE PROPOSALS

According to Forbes, the cost of Proposition 1 to an average District taxpayer is $63 per year. “We encourage all voters to come out and vote on Dec. 12 for these projects,” Forbes said.

Bennett spoke to the needs of the music department as addressed in Proposition 2. Bennett stated, “We have this wonderful situation here at Fredonia where more students are playing an instrument or singing in chorus than at any time in 25 years. This year, over 900 students are participating in our ensembles, and our facilities simply weren’t made to house that many students or instruments.”

Proposition 2 includes an expansion of music rehearsal spaces to provide more room to practice and better address the current enrollment in the music program. As it stands now, some ensembles are too large to rehearse together in the same space. Some rooms struggle to comply with the fire code or handicap accessibility requirements. The upgrades include a 1,930 square foot band room, a 1,200 square foot space for the orchestra, and a 930 square foot space for the chorus.

Proposition 3 of the Fredonia Capital Project proposal required a 6.9% tax increase to invest in athletics, including a multi-use turf field.

If Proposition 2 does not pass, the District will look to limit the amount of students who participate in an ensemble. Proposition 2 itself would cost $37 per year to the average District taxpayer. Combined with Proposition 1, which must pass before Proposition 2 can be approved, the total cost of the two propositions would be approximately $100 per year.

“To me, Proposition 2 is a worthy task to make sure that every student has a chance to have a quality music education,” Bennett said.

Bennett highlighted that the State aid reimbursement for capital projects such as this year’s proposal cannot be used for other purposes. Propositions 1 and 2 are approximately 78% state-aided.

“Other districts in our area have taken advantage of these funds. It’s our turn to use these resources to help our students,” Bennett said.

Beers spoke to Proposition 3 as a longtime teacher and coach at Fredonia, as well as a parent of two former varsity athletes at Fredonia. He highlighted three main areas of focus of the project: safety, compliance, and competitiveness.

Beers noted safety is the most important of the concerns. He spoke to personal accounts of injuries on the softball field and unsafe playing conditions at other facilities, such as the Orange Bowl and the soccer field, which he stated that a visiting team refused to play on this past year.

Proposition 3 is centered around a $17.7 million multi-purpose, synthetic turf athletic complex on the land behind the main campus. The multi-purpose complex will be usable for baseball, softball, football and soccer games, with baseball and softball fields separated enough to allow for games to be held simultaneously. Grandstand bleachers will be installed, along with a press box, goal posts, dugouts, backstops, portable bleachers and portable fences for baseball and softball. The complex would also feature a sound system. Parking will be available for 150 vehicles and approximately 1,000 guests can be accommodated at any given time.

Proposition 3 also includes tennis court replacement and decommissioning costs of the Orange Bowl. However, a concession stand and restroom facility would not be included.

Because a majority of the work for Proposition 3 is not eligible for State aid, the average taxpayer in Fredonia will pay an increase of $220 per year, on top of the $100 increase from the first two propositions. Proposition 3 carries a 6.9% tax increase itself, as 71% of the work will be unaided.

Beers estimated all three propositions would cost approximately $25 per month to the average taxpayer. “$25 a month to invest in our community, to invest in our children, I don’t think that’s all that much to ask,” Beers said.

Although his children have graduated from Fredonia and he is nearing retirement, Beers still said, “I will definitely be voting yes, so I encourage you to do the same.”

MAKING THE PLAN

Zilliox stated in the video, as he has several times in recent public meetings, that the three propositions were drafted based off of feedback the District received from its community. “This was not about myself or our Board of Education working in isolation,” Zilliox said.

Zilliox highlighted two key pieces of feedback were a focus on students/athletes and safety. He also reiterated the District’s mission statement of helping students “become their greatest selves”; the vision of being “innovative, dynamic, and global” in what the District does; and its core belief of being a student-centered District.

“From my perspective, this capital project gives us the best possible chance to make good on our mission … our vision … and also our core belief,” Zilliox said.

The District has been regularly posting frequently asked questions and responses to its official Fredonia Central School District Facebook page. In all, 22 questions have been addressed by the District in question-and-answer format. The District has also provided information in a specific page on the official website, which can be found at www.fredonia.wnyric.org/page/capital-project.

Several presentations have been given at public meetings in the past year, as well as public forums designed to receive public input. Zilliox has also visited community organizations to present the project; direct messages have been sent to District parents and guardians through school communications; and a four-page mailer has been sent to residents throughout the school community.

The Capital Project vote takes place on Thursday from 2 to 9 p.m. in the Fredonia High School cafeteria. Absentee ballots must be received by 5 p.m. on the night of the vote. Absentee ballots were made available at the District Clerk’s office until Dec. 5. District residents who are U.S. citizens, at least 18 years of age, and who have been residents of the District for at least 30 days prior to the vote are eligible to vote.

“Please remember to have your voice heard and cast your vote,” Zilliox said.