Glen Cove School Bond Forum Planned Ahead Of March Vote

GLEN COVE, NY — A forum is planned Wednesday night in Glen Cove as the public school district once again tries to pass a significant bond referendum that it hopes will help address the state of disrepair plaguing its buildings.

The forum is scheduled to begin at 7 p.m. March 4 in the auditorium of Glen Cove High School. Voters will vote on whether to pass the bond March 19.

"It's time that we make a lot of needed improvements in our school district," Gail Nedbor-Gross, the district's board president, said in a YouTube video published last week. "Our schools have not been up to code, and it's time."

In October, to the school district's disappointment, voters rejected two bond referendums that would have funded major improvement projects to city schools. At the time, the district estimated that the first bond proposal would have cost the average homeowner with a $500,000 home $24.58 a month for 15 years. The second bond referendum was estimated to have cost that same homeowner $10.77 a month during that period.

"We heard the community in saying that it's just too much at this time, but we also feel it's important to address these issues," Rose Sekelsky, a board trustee, stressed. "They're not going away. The costs will only increase."

The rejections to both recent bond referendums forced district officials to go back to the drawing board. In the newly uploaded video, they say they've listened to the community and have revised their plans. Board Trustee Lia Leone said she believes voters will be pleased with the revisions.

"I hope that the community looks at this bond and that it brings us together," she said. "We really looked at what was in those two other bonds and narrowed it down to the essentials."

The bond is desperately needed because school buildings — which were built between 70 and 110 years ago — are not up to code and in need of repairs, district officials said.

"Our buildings are very old, and they haven't changed in all these years," board trustee Karen Ferguson said. "We have children who can't get to a toilet if they are in a wheelchair. We have fire escapes that are rusted so badly that no one dares to step on them."

If the bond is approved, it would pay for new HVAC for much-needed air circulation, climate control and compliance with SED student health requirements. Elevators would also be installed at Deasy and bathroom renovations made to meet Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) requirements.

The bond would also include security components, such as new, code-compliant interior classroom doors and auto locking hardware; new, code-compliant exterior doors (where needed) with new locking hardware.

"Unfortunately, we are in a position now that we have to be able to do a lockdown for our children. In order to do that, in an appropriate manner, we have to redo our doors, our windows," board trustee Mary Murphy said.

If approved, the bond would also pave the way new HVAC in order to eliminate window air conditioners, allowing windows to remain clocked and locked, according to district officials.

"Right now, we have to put mobile air conditions in rooms for students that require it and that becomes a fire and safety hazard. And without clean air circulating in there, we have to open windows, and that becomes another security issue," Board Trustee Robert Field said.

The bond, if passed, would also result in new science labs/rooms at the high school as well as classroom additions at Connolly, Deasy and Landing schools, school district officials said. The bond would also create dedicated space for music and art at Connolly, eliminate basement classrooms at Deasy and Landing, and allow district officials to make electrical upgrades to accommodate technology needs.

"We hope the community will realize that by taking care of our schools, you're taking care of the community," Ferguson said.