Cornwall Central board advances planning for May 2026 bond referendum, weighs three propositions totaling draft tens of millions

The Cornwall Central School District Board of Education spent the bulk of its meeting reviewing a draft May 2026 capital project that the facilities committee recommends be presented to voters in three propositions.

John, chair of the facilities committee, told the board Proposition 1 would be a tax‑neutral package covering districtwide roof, fire‑alarm and PA system replacements, auditorium air conditioning and other repairs and upgrades with a project total of "approximately 44 and a half million dollars," and a conservative forecast of about 58.7% aidability from New York State. "This project is likely to balloon a little bit bigger in the tune of 50 to $60,000,000," John said, noting the district is forecasting conservatively until building aid is confirmed by the state.

Proposition 2, described as the classrooms proposition, would add classroom space at the middle school and Cornwall Elementary (a "4 on top of 4" classroom addition at Lee Road) and renovate Cornwall‑on‑Hudson’s cafeteria/kitchen; the packet lists that scope at about $21,100,000. The facilities committee recommended the board consider whether some classroom work could be folded into Proposition 1 to preserve tax neutrality.

Proposition 3 would address athletics. The committee presented multiple field options — including relocating high‑school baseball/softball and adding synthetic turf, a middle‑school new turf and track, or other multi‑sport fields — with the athletics package estimates ranging across options to about $33,600,000 in the materials. The committee signaled a recommendation to include one field option rather than all three, but had not settled which.

Board members pressed staff and advisers on the assumptions behind the tax‑impact tables, including the timing of building aid and the effect of debt falling off the district’s debt service schedule. John described two main reasons the committee labeled Proposition 1 tax neutral: use of an existing $7.5 million capital reserve and the scheduled retirement of prior debt payments. He emphasized the district must complete a preliminary submission to the New York State Education Department before aid percentages are final.

Directors also discussed sequencing and narrative: some members argued the board should prioritize projects that voters will most readily understand and support; others urged using available fiscal space so the district does not suffer a lower tax‑cap outcome in future years. One board member urged caution about including all projects at once, recommending a focused story for the public vote.

The board directed the facilities committee to return with refinements, including calculations that show how much of Proposition 2 could be absorbed into a tax‑neutral Proposition 1 and which athletics option to recommend. The board set a procedural deadline of March 9 for finalized proposition language so that the full board can vote and meet the referendum calendar.

The facilities committee’s packet, debt‑service schedules and projected tax‑impact tables remain the primary documents staff will use to update the board in coming meetings. No referendum language was adopted at the meeting; the board instead asked for further analysis and a committee recommendation.