Committee advances bond authorization to reimburse school district for phase‑3 modernization preliminary costs

The Budget, Finance and Governance Committee approved a bond ordinance authorizing issuance of up to $55 million in bonds and bond anticipation notes to provide interim financing for preliminary planning and development costs tied to phase 3 of the Rochester City School District facilities modernization program.

Mayor Tom Richards, who chairs the Facilities Modernization Board, told the committee the financing is intended to reimburse the school district for preliminary “soft” costs it has already advanced to the Rochester Joint Schools Construction Board and to preserve the district’s place as the program advances to state approval. Phase 3, the mayor said, covers six schools and the overall program budget for phase 3 is estimated in the transmittal at approximately $475 million; the city ordinance would finance early costs and later pursue CAMIDA financing and full bond issuance after New York State Education Department approvals.

Council members asked detailed questions about scope and disruption for specific schools. On Franklin, Richards said the entire facility will be renovated to address systems such as heating, ventilation and electrical work; much of the core building will be affected and phased relocation or other strategies may be required. The mayor said Padilla High School will be involved in the Franklin campus work and that decisions about temporary relocations depend on safety and construction sequencing.

For Edison, council members asked about structural issues and the athletic field. Richards described long‑term structural concerns tied to post‑tensioned concrete elements in the building and confirmed emergency bracing and targeted repairs have been done; the athletic field is built over landfill and was the subject of subsurface testing, which the administration said showed manageable results. He cautioned that inflation, tariffs on materials and supply pressures raise cost uncertainty and that construction estimates include contingency planning.

Council members also discussed disclosure and participation for two council members who are employees of the Rochester City School District; corporate counsel advised disclosure was appropriate and that the two council members could participate in discussion for the ordinance. The ordinance was approved in committee and will return to the full council for bonding steps and any required supermajority when the city proceeds to issue long‑term bonds.