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MONTROSE, N.Y. The Hendrick Hudson School District said the results of a late January community survey showed the performing arts center and artificial turf fields were the main reasons the district's $25.1 million December bond failed.
The survey showed the performing arts center and athletic turf fields were the biggest reason the bond did not pass, along with the general economic times, said Rick McCormack, district spokesperson, during Wednesday's Board of Education meeting.
The district said the results of the survey conveyed what many voters likely felt when the measure was rejected by a two-to-one vote. Of the nearly 1,000 respondents, 71 percent of respondents felt the Performing Arts Center was beyond our means, and 23 percent of respondents mentioned the fields as beyond our means, reads the survey summary passed out at Wednesdays board meeting.
It became clear that before we issue another bond we should resurvey, said McCormack.
The vast majority of respondents used the districts online SurveyMonkey powered questionnaire and there was also a telephone and write-in option for respondents. The survey was created by McCormack, Beth Gruber and David White, who said they believed the survey cost the district less than $500.
We need information and its not always predictable, said Marion Walsh, Board of Education president, about the reason the survey was conducted.
The district also found that nearly half of the respondents expressed a negative view on the districts use of tax dollars, although about three-quarters had a positive view of the academic program offered.
One-third of respondents cited academics and test scores as an area the district could improve, 14 percent cited teachers and 19 percent cited the Board of Education, administration, communication and leadership.
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