Pelham board splits bond proposals, puts ADA work at Simonoy before voters and keeps geothermal separate

The Pelham Union Free School District Board of Education on March 19 agreed to divide a proposed capital-improvement bond into multiple propositions rather than present a single omnibus question to voters.

The board and district staff said the split is intended to give voters clearer choices on urgent building repairs and accessibility work while allowing individual projects to move forward without dragging unrelated items into a single yes-or-no decision.

Board discussion and public comment focused on the Simonoy School (Sowenoy/Sinoinoy in some materials), which requires elevators and other changes to meet the Americans with Disabilities Act and would need an expansion to replace classrooms lost when elevators are installed. The board agreed to make Simonoy’s package a separate proposition and to include elementary-school central air conditioning in the districtwide infrastructure proposition rather than in a geothermal proposition.

Why it matters: District officials said separating the items reduces the risk that voters will reject essential districtwide infrastructure if they oppose elements specific to one school. The board also asked bond counsel to draft ballot language that will reflect the board’s direction and any dependencies among propositions.

What the board decided and the reasons given - Structure: The district will ask voters to consider (1) a districtwide infrastructure package that includes elementary central air conditioning (excluding Simonoy), (2) a Simonoy package that combines ADA compliance and an 8-classroom addition, (3) a high-school expansion package, and (4) a geothermal energy package. The board asked…