District recommends postponing capital-project referendum to May to allow more community outreach
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Summary
District staff and its architect recommended delaying a proposed capital-project referendum from a proposed December vote to the May budget vote to allow more time for community outreach and to reduce election costs; no formal referendum authorizing vote was adopted at the Sept. 30 meeting.
Ithaca City School District staff recommended postponing a proposed capital-project referendum originally discussed for December 2025 and instead timing the vote to coincide with the May 2026 budget election.
The district’s consultant, Christopher Galaubitz of Tetra Tech, told the board that a May vote allows a longer public engagement window and reduces the risk that insufficient communication would leave voters uninformed. ‘‘Aligning that gives a longer period of time for communications to happen,’’ he said, and noted that a May schedule would also reduce standalone election costs.
Administrators said staffing constraints and the time-intensive nature of staging a stand-alone election would make a December timeline difficult. They recommended building a multi-month engagement campaign — open houses, TA meetings and electronic outreach — to ensure voters understand project scope and cost.
Why it matters: Capital referendums can require substantial voter education; staff said a compressed schedule increases the risk of misunderstandings. Postponing would provide longer outreach time and potential election cost savings.
Outcome: The board discussed and did not hold a formal vote to approve a December referendum; administration will return with a schedule aligned to the May state-mandated budget vote and continue planning work with Tetra Tech.
Ending: District leaders said they would follow up with a revised schedule and community engagement plans ahead of a May ballot proposal.