BY ANDY GARDNER
North Country This Week

MASSENA -- The school district is looking at a $49,690,000 capital project that a representative of their architectural firm says will not have any impact on taxes because of state aid.

"We are at a zero tax impact to the community," Steve Thaser from the IBI Group told the Board of Education at their Thursday, Sept. 19 meeting.

Superintendent Pat Brady said their list of proposals is what they are hoping the public will approve in a December referendum.

"We're down to presenting the ... scope we would really like to go out to the public with, certainly go out to the board with," he said.

Ed Berrnhauer from IBI said they are looking at new roofs and parking areas as all buildings, as well as modernized safety systems that would allow teachers to lock their classroom door from inside the room in the event of an emergency.

"We're dealing with a lot of paving at each of the buildings, we're dealing with roofing at each of the buildings, we're dealing with safety systems at each of the buildings as well," Bernhauer said. They are also looking at asbestos abatement in all of the buildings.

At the high school, they are considering $14,351,000 worth of work. That includes redoing the baseball and turf fields and redoing the swimming pool. They would also add walkways outside of each door and going around the building so they can be used in the event of a fire drill or emergency. They also want to replace the stage in the auditorium and the lighting and sound systems.

At the junior high, they are proposing $8,730,000 worth of work. A big part of that is a complete reconfiguration of the pickup and drop-off area.

"We will be separating the bus traffic, the parent drop off traffic and ... parking," Bernhauer said. They want to have bus traffic pick up and drop off in front of the building, and have an area for parents to pick up or drop off students on the north side. The current parking area would also be redone but stay in the same place.

And they want to renovate the food service area.

"The kitchen and cafeteria is being renovated as a complete gut and redesign," Bernhauer said.

For the elementary schools, they want to spend $8,611,000 at Nightengale, $8,543,000 at Madison and $7,990,000 at Jefferson.

At Nightengale, they also want to split bus and parent drop off areas. Buses would still pick up and drop off in front. Parent drop off and guest parking would be on the Nightengale Avenue side. The playground would stay out back, but be replaced. The playground at Madison would also be renovated. The three buildings are also looking at masonry restoration, ceiling replacements and classroom improvements.

More detailed lists of proposed work can be read with the agenda items for the Sept. 19 school board meeting here.