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Nearly $27 million has already been spent on repairs to aging school facilities as part of Batavia’s Project Warm, Safe, Dry.
But more work remains to be done, and officials need to figure out how to pay for it.
During the Oct. 20 Board of Education meeting, board members voted to start the process of selling roughly $12.6 million in health/life safety bonds to fund the repairs.
Here’s what to know:
Improvements needed: The work includes projects at the high school, middle school, and four elementary schools. Ventilation units and fire-alarm replacements account for about 93% of the projected costs.
Financing the projects: Board documents indicate that the district’s operating budget can cover some of the remaining work, but additional funds will be needed to finish the program on time. Using bonds for eligible work would leave more of the district’s own money for daily operations and for repairs that don’t qualify.
Bond details: Issuing these bonds would not require a referendum, but it would lead to a property tax increase. The district’s financial consultant laid out three options for paying those bonds back.
Tax impact: For a median home, the bonds could raise property tax bills by about $42 to $50 each year as payments phase in, reaching roughly $125 to $300 a year depending on the repayment plan, according to the consultant.
This latest move comes after voters rejected Batavia school facilities referendums in 2022 and 2023. A public hearing is planned for Nov. 17.
Read more in this district agenda memo and watch the full meeting recording.
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