File Photo/A $6 million bond ordinance will finance roof repairs at the Eugene A. Tighe Middle School and the William H. Ross Elementary School.
By NANETTE LoBIONDO GALLOWAY
MARGATE – The Board of Commissioners Thursday, April 7 introduced an ordinance appropriating $6 million in bonds and notes for capital improvements at the William H. Ross Elementary and Eugene A. Tighe Middle schools.
According to Commissioner John Amodeo, the amount was pared down from the school board’s original request of $13 million. A Long Range Facilities Plan prepared in 2021 by Spiezle Architectural Group, Inc., the district’s architect of record, identified $16 million worth of improvements needed at both schools over a five-year period.
“Some of the money to improve facilities should be included in the district’s operating budget,” Amodeo said.
Superintendent Audrey Becker said over the last 10 years, the district concentrated on improving programming without raising taxes.
“Although this approach has allowed us to continue to offer exceptional staff and educational programs for our students, it has left very little in our annual operating budget for costly facilities improvements,” she said.
Becker said the board is grateful that city officials agreed to support some of the substantial improvements needed, such as recoating the roof system on both schools.
“This will extend the longevity of the roofing surface for both Tighe and Ross schools and avoid a full removal and replacement, which would be much more expensive,” Becker said.
Amodeo said the roof at the Tighe School was replaced just a year or two before the district built the Ross School, and both roofs are at the end of their warranty periods and are leaking in some spots.
The cost of roof repairs at both schools will likely top $3.5 million.
Another costly project is improving the HVAC systems in both school at an estimated cost of more than $1 million.
“The district has gradually been replacing the air handlers at Tighe as we have had available funds, but this project will allow us to finalize improvements in both schools to avoid any potential interruptions in cooling and heating conditions for either building,” she said.
The city approved a $1.2 million school bond in 2017 that financed some of the HVAC improvements needed at the time. That bond also covered some replacement of asbestos flooring and paving the Monmouth Avenue playground.
According to Chief Financial Officer Lisa McLaughlin, the $1.2 million ordinance was permanently funded in 2019. The majority of it, $1,049,788 was expended for its original purposes, but the unexpended balance of $150,212 will likely be canceled this year.
Other smaller projects include continuing with the floor replacements, new alarm loops for the fire systems at both schools, a new playground surface at Ross, and window sealing and replacements at both schools. The district will also refurbish the Dominick A. Potena Performing Arts Center with new curtains, seating and flooring.
“By obtaining this financial assistance from the city, the Margate City school district will be able to maintain a focus on academic and social-emotional programs and enrichment for our students, while improving the conditions and security of our facilities,” Becker said.
The board will use a $400,000 state grant award to reduce the cost of improvements.
A public hearing on Bond Ordinance 08-2022 will be held 4 p.m. Thursday, April 21 at Historic City Hall, 1 S. Washington Ave.
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