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Resident urges board to advance turf-field proposition as petition nears 600 signatures
Summary
At public comment resident Mike Williams said a petition backing additional turf fields grew from about 300 to nearly 600 signatures; board members said capital reserves and a potential $5 million bond (estimated $43/year taxpayer impact) are options under review and that space-and-facilities will prioritize projects.
Mike Williams, a Shoreham-Wading River resident who spoke at the podium, asked the board for an update on turf-field proposals and said community support has grown since the last meeting.
"My wish is that in 1 or 2 years, Eric Bramoff will be standing at this podium showing a slideshow of the technology improvements being made on the athletic fields," Williams said, and added that a petition supporting turf fields has grown “from 300 to nearly 600 residents since the last board meeting.”
Board members acknowledged the advocacy and described the current planning steps. The president said the space-and-facilities committee had recommended certain projects and emphasized the board’s advisory role. The administration said identified capital-reserve funds could pay for some projects, which would not be an immediate tax increase if reserves are used.
Board discussion cited the district’s state-aid reimbursement rate as a constraint on net project cost. A district staff member explained the reimbursement formula is complex and stated the district’s reimbursement falls in the low- to mid-30% range: "We are building a ratio of between 32–34%," the staff member said, contrasting that with neighboring districts that receive higher rates.
A possible financing scenario discussed at recent meetings was a $5,000,000 bond with about half of that earmarked for turf fields. Board members said the district’s estimates showed a $43-per-year tax increase for a model $5 million bond in prior discussion.
Board members encouraged continued advocacy and participation in the budget-planning process beginning Feb. 11 and said the space-and-facilities committee would reconvene to prioritize work identified in the district building condition survey and consider timing for any proposition to go to voters.
