[{"_1":2,"_100":-5,"_101":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,76,88],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},"mediaId",6637207,"mediaKeyId","2587357-25759fa5417d125dea05c03b08063392","parentId",2587357,"title","Pelham board splits on geothermal at bond talks; consultants flag tariffs and cost uncertainties","audioSeconds",1146,"startMs",8007000,"endMs",9153000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=2587357-25759fa5417d125dea05c03b08063392&start=8007&end=9153","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2587357-25759fa5417d125dea05c03b08063392/thumbnail_8007000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6637207/New-York/Pelham-board-splits-on-geothermal-at-bond-talks-consultants-flag-tariffs-and-cost-uncertainties","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6637207-88106d48c39be04c5ccdcb8af007ec60/orig.mp4?Expires=1771195115&Signature=oxAjFJgrcZzZX2rYAggsaRUx7Z7oJsDBCherT25n1rfqmXbxQbDFZnBwYsVTSznuAWzi-5FQWZakgRJRCC4E64GbZO9m9UNL9AmL~oHU-kfcse1UQ47S6jGI-dXoV7e-oyVXToNpzk-5L394wyDrLItOklWl8IT5Asf7gYgSiRd4wv1Qu9VRUG0Yv7MtfrlpbOmL84f~CcE~SFM~Zr34EGFe4~Rrr5I1PInH87wtAg1ZsBEXlrD2JviIICiTY2vKNTFA4DmbGA-P1db5aG8Gs5xcaIiobOxemb4eL1xLnqa1~GgcEwgFPmcZmR-Z1i~q5b~D16foPXsnT8ecBpaJ0g__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","PELHAM UNION FREE SCHOOL DISTRICT","date","2025-03-13T03:35:53.067Z","article","Pelham Union Free School District trustees spent a major portion of their March 12 meeting debating possible components of a proposed capital bond, focusing attention on a Sibonoy elementary addition, a high school expansion, campus infrastructure, and whether to include geothermal heating and air-conditioning work.

Why it matters: The bond package will determine the district’s multi-year facilities program, which affects classroom capacity, code- and accessibility-related upgrades, and long-term operating costs for heating and cooling. The board did not adopt a final scope but directed administration and consultants to prepare alternate bond packages for the next board meeting.

What the board discussed: Architects and consultants reviewed a multi-part scope that included a district-wide infrastructure package, an addition and renovation option for Siwonoy Elementary, a high school addition to add cafeteria/meeting space and updated science labs, and proposals to add air conditioning to elementary schools. Staff also presented geothermal systems as a low-carbon, long-term alternative to conventional mechanical HVAC for the elementary campuses.

Consultants’ review and cautions: The board heard an independent review from Triton and a presentation by the district’s architect (KG and D). Consultant Kevin Sawyer said the overall KG and D budget was “good” and consistent with construction contingencies and escalation factors, but he recommended using conservative allowances and alternate bid pricing because the market can be uncertain. He estimated the Siwonoy addition could be roughly $2.0–2.1 million higher than some earlier estimates depending on market conditions.

Tariff risk: Sawyer and board consultants also modeled the possible effect of tariffs on steel and aluminum products and provided a rough sensitivity analysis. Sawyer said a 25 percent tariff on tariff-exposed hard-cost items could add roughly $1 million to the Siwonoy addition and approximately $1.4–1.5 million to a larger high-school package, though he emphasized these numbers were contingent and subject to rapid change in the current market.

Geothermal and air conditioning debate: Board members and staff extensively debated whether geothermal work should be bundled with air-conditioning installation, split as a separate ballot question, or deferred. Supporters pointed to long-term operating-cost savings and lower carbon emissions; skeptics said community understanding of geothermal is mixed, its long-term payback can be imprecise without site-specific energy modeling, and voters may be reluctant to approve less familiar technology tied to upfront costs.

Board direction: The board asked staff and consultants to prepare two clear bond-option packages and associated tax-impact scenarios for the board’s next meeting: (1) a package that places campus infrastructure, the Sibonoy addition and elementary air conditioning together, and (2) an alternative set that treats geothermal as a separate proposition (or otherwise splits geothermal from the core infrastructure package). The board also requested explicit tax-impact estimates for each package and for typical residential assessed values.

Quoted guidance from consultants: Russ Davidson of KG and D summarized the environmental review process for the bond preliminary work, saying, “Type 2 under SEQRA is one of the actions that the New York State DEC has predetermined does not have any adverse environmental impact.” Consultant Kevin Sawyer cautioned the board about pricing volatility and tariffs and presented the district with alternate price ranges and contingency recommendations.

Next steps: Administration will bring two draft bond scopes and precise estimated tax impacts to the board for review at the next meeting, and staff will form or engage a bond steering committee to help with community engagement and question-and-answer materials for voters. The board signaled preference for presenting clear, separate choices to the community rather than bundling uncertain items in a single package.

Ending: Trustees said they want community feedback to guide final scope decisions. The board directed administration to prepare the alternative bond packages and tax estimates ahead of the next meeting so members can finalize propositions and move toward a scheduled May ballot.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Events from the Pelham Public Schools -","oneSentenceSummary","Pelham Union Free School District trustees spent a major portion of their March 12 meeting debating possible components of a proposed capital bond, focusing attention on a Sibonoy elementary addition, a high school expansion, campus infrastructure, and whether to include geothermal heating and air-conditioning work.","taxTitle","PELHAM UNION FREE SCHOOL DISTRICT, School Districts, New York","taxId",48009,"location","New York","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":77,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":78,"_41":79,"_43":80,"_45":81,"_47":82,"_49":83,"_51":84,"_53":85,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":86,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":87,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6637211,"Pelham board continues budget review: $96.29 million proposal, 3.69% tax levy increase",550,2613000,3163000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2587357-25759fa5417d125dea05c03b08063392&start=2613&end=3163","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2587357-25759fa5417d125dea05c03b08063392/thumbnail_2613000.jpg","/articles/6637211/New-York/Pelham-board-continues-budget-review-9629-million-proposal-369-tax-levy-increase","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6637211-2e3eafd9685935fb936eb72b803fe38b/orig.mp4?Expires=1771195115&Signature=dxAv5ycw5EBBCZqyEX-Mw-ThhDHUt3YO-UMAInrB4ut28irTYUtIBs~YziL9ET070rmJqVK39nZnZlzZEEkVAgDBVZAWfT68ApRCeYSlxUV2X~gUH~LEdn~rsKRlb7Ql8NOH2cY5lLsP4Ycls8a5RIO9L-RViaVzFoASotXVx228D1-HIE~7LS~cCLZjcllM3481JXwv8K7bBryXW6Y06nnB8BULjO3VjhreDuQYuK6IzP-XdQyPFu7j7mB48jDc~Ko82DyuKXL2w5fxcY99CHjrN32Sf~x~MsMgqNEnHfVZ-EF3bavI7h56GkmwLcNtGWEnqUQ8kGd168LqQc9bSg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Pelham Union Free School District on March 12 continued line-by-line review of its proposed 2025-26 budget, a $96.29 million spending plan that district business officials said represents a 2.9 percent increase in total appropriations and a preliminary allowable tax levy increase of 3.69 percent under New York's tax-cap rules.

Why it matters: The proposal drives the district’s staffing decisions and program priorities for the next year and sets the levy the community will vote on in May. Administrators told the board the budget is tax-cap compliant and reflects efforts to limit headcount increases while preserving core programs.

Top-line figures and drivers: Business officials said the budget calls for $96,290,000 in total appropriations, a 2.9 percent budget-to-budget increase. The proposed levy increase of 3.69 percent reflects the tax-cap calculation and capital exclusions tied to debt; the business office described a baseline levy growth (after certain exclusions) of roughly 2.4 percent plus a 1.29 percentage-point increase attributable to capital exclusions.

State aid and fund balance: The district expects a modest growth in state aid and noted an anticipated drop in some prior one-time aid tied to earlier capital projects. The proposed budget uses a planned appropriated fund balance of about $4,280,000, including amounts designated for debt service relief and pension reserves, which the presenters described as part of a strategic, not recurring, funding plan.

Staffing and programs: Administrators said the budget includes a net reduction in total full-time equivalents overall while adding targeted special education staffing at the secondary level and maintaining integrated programs at the elementary grades. Presenters noted the budget incorporates contractually required salary increases carried forward from prior-year agreements (a “double bump” effect where a retroactive increase plus the next-year increase are both reflected). The district also plans a new 8:1:2 classroom for students with high needs.

Facilities and mandates: The district identified several facilities projects, an ongoing Chromebook refresh (fifth- and ninth-grade cycles), and an initiative to install window air-conditioning units on upper floors that lack cooling by Sept. 1, to meet the governor’s guidance for school ventilation and comfort. Presenters said the district is at roughly 2 percent design on potential bond projects and therefore many building-level questions would be refined only after a successful vote.

Technology and BOCES services: The technology presentation detailed a continued 1:1 Chromebook program for grades 6–12, planned refresh cycles, and an increase in software and managed services purchased through the regional BOCES cooperative to maximize state aid reimbursement and vendor contract safeguards. The district’s technology incident-closure rates and help-desk metrics were highlighted as improving.

Next steps: The board planned additional in-depth budget sessions; administrators invited board members to submit follow-up questions and said staff will provide more detail on transportation and other line items during the line-by-line review period. The superintendent reminded members that the board must adopt a final spending plan before placing a tax-cap compliant budget before voters in May.

Ending: Business officials asked the board to weigh program priorities and constrained resources as they prepare final adjustments for the district’s May 20 budget vote.","Superintendent and business staff presented a $96.29 million 2025-26 spending plan, a 2.9% increase year-to-year and a proposed 3.69% tax levy increase under the state tax-cap formula. The presentation included staffing changes, an expected use of fund balance and projected state aid increases.",{"_33":89,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":90,"_41":91,"_43":92,"_45":93,"_47":94,"_49":95,"_51":96,"_53":97,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":98,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":99,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6637216,"Pelham board authorizes contract to buy 29 Franklin Place; purchase to go to voters",12246,1888000,14134000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2587357-25759fa5417d125dea05c03b08063392&start=1888&end=14134","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2587357-25759fa5417d125dea05c03b08063392/thumbnail_1888000.jpg","/articles/6637216/New-York/Pelham-board-authorizes-contract-to-buy-29-Franklin-Place-purchase-to-go-to-voters","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6637216-101cae9c04138997ff4dc09adb5f2c11/orig.mp4?Expires=1771195115&Signature=Fq8OLlsb7~nny1gehixXhNTn21p~A5HaIzgR4FQMh7uKNPjiJE--D8ZN9dH08ZKHrzGglh9USLjULMvGraByT9kEDiZrBkRkMFWoHoebOLiZhu37-goasaRnanaPCzEIiIuSbs4ZV~LB~mWrmqAt0AV7ss3gT653zJT-J7Bfjuakul3H0jzzGV4DF~MyvIFh0F4X0qhkMUAYSKibBZkvdo0AeVSfBSAIGMZdd1JaBO9gLJCOmXY6DxnkTsdcC67BoKbdVHMcLQK6FkwQ~fjLo5LqSl5iikm61jmZTY7wu0vO9hclXIk4ELwNZBqePbKsgnqJPBUsb46c3lXdJSFmTg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Pelham Union Free School District Board of Education authorized district leaders on March 12 to negotiate and sign a purchase contract for 29 Franklin Place and to place a funding proposition on the May 20 ballot asking voters to approve the acquisition.

The board approved a resolution setting a purchase price ceiling and allowing a deposit of up to 10 percent of the agreed price; the contract will require at least half of that deposit to be refunded if voters reject the purchase. The board also adopted a SEQRA Type 2 determination for the acquisition, a procedural finding from the state environmental review law indicating no significant environmental impacts are expected from buying and renovating the existing residence.

Why it matters: The house sits adjacent to the high school campus and the district says it could be used immediately for administrative office space while preserving land for longer-term facilities planning. The board discussed the purchase in the context of the district’s broader capital and facilities planning ahead of a bond vote this spring.

Details: The board-authorized motion sets a maximum combined outlay of $1,850,000 from district reserves for purchase and initial interior renovations. The contract language approved by the board makes the purchase contingent on voter approval. When the board read the proposed ballot language into the record, it directed the district clerk to publish the legal notices required by state law and to include a proposition that would authorize the board to expend up to $1,850,000 from designated fund balance to acquire and renovate the property.

District officials and consultants emphasized the purchase would not be fully executed without a successful voter referendum. In explaining the next steps, legal and planning consultants reminded the board that the SEQRA Type 2 finding simply clears the acquisition for the district to seek voter approval and does not substitute for the ballot process.

Funding approach: During the meeting the board amended the initial funding plan and directed staff to present ballot language authorizing the use of designated fund balance (savings) rather than issuing new long-term debt for the purchase. Board members said using reserves avoids the additional interest expense that would occur if the district bonded for the house purchase.

Next steps: If voters approve the proposition on May 20 the district will complete the purchase and begin the planned interior renovations for administrative use; if voters do not approve the purchase, the contract includes refund language for the deposit. The board also instructed administration to circulate the approved ballot wording and legal notice as required by statute.

Ending note: Board members described the acquisition as an opportunity to place district offices on property contiguous with the high school while preserving land for long-term planning. The vote to authorize negotiation of a contract passed at the March 12 meeting.","The Pelham Union Free School District board authorized staff to negotiate a purchase contract for 29 Franklin Place and agreed to place a funding proposition on the May 20 ballot. The board also approved a SEQRA Type 2 finding for the acquisition; the district plans to use fund balance, not long-term debt, if voters approve.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Pelham board splits on geothermal at bond talks; consultants flag tariffs and cost uncertainties

Pelham board continues budget review: $96.29 million proposal, 3.69% tax levy increase

Pelham board authorizes contract to buy 29 Franklin Place; purchase to go to voters