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CROTON-ON-HUDSON, N.Y. Voting booths at Croton-Harmon High School were markedly empty mid-morning Tuesday during the districts special vote to use $3.4 million in capital reserve funds to pay for maintenance and improvement projects in the districts three schools.
Using the funds would not increase taxes, school officials said.
Theres parking, so thats a little scary, said election inspector Debi Braddick, remarking on the light turnout. Hopefully people come out when their kids get out.
Voter turnout is generally higher after residents return home from work, inspectors said.
The January vote was scheduled outside of normal school board elections to allow the district to start construction during the summer, when school is out of session.
James Neel, a former 10-year veteran of the Croton-Harmon School Board, said he believed some of the improvements should have taken place years ago. From late spring to early fall, warm weather creates a notoriously stifling environment in the high school auditorium.
Now, it costs us money not to have it, because people hold functions in there, said Neel. The auditorium can be leased for community functions.
Other projects planned by the district include reconfiguring the bus circles at the high school and Carrie E. Tompkins Elementary School, putting and addition onto the districts transportation building and fixing masonry at Pierre Van Cortlandt Middle School. Bathrooms in the middle school and high school would also be made compliant with the Americans with Disabilities Act.
Using money from the districts reserve funds will not increase taxes, since the money is from a savings account. The district has saved state aid from past building projects to contribute to the reserve fund. The district is eligible for up to 21 percent state aid reimbursement for improvements to facilities, officials said.
Polls will be open until 9 p.m. at the Croton-Harmon High School gym.
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