Westhampton Beach Bond Vote To Take Place on October 19, With $33 Million of Work at Stake

Westhampton Beach School District residents will cast their ballots on Wednesday, October 19, to decide the fate of a $33 million bond for districtwide infrastructure upgrades, instructional updates, and health and safety improvements.

Voting will be done via paper ballot from 7 a.m. to 9 p.m. in the Westhampton Beach High School Large Group Instruction Room.

Officials said the bond, which was unanimously approved by the Board of Education in August, would pay for renovations to the athletic complex, as well as elementary and middle school roofs, window and HVAC replacements, among other things.

Superintendent Dr. Carolyn Probst said there would be no tax increase if the plan is approved by voters, as the new bond would be replacing debt from a 2003 bond that is expiring.

“We believe the proposed bond will enable the district to preserve the integrity of our buildings, allow our schools to operate more efficiently and support our ongoing educational initiatives without placing an additional financial burden on our community,” the superintendent said.

The proposal comes after a year’s worth of work by the district’s facilities committee and follows two other bonds in the past two decades.

In 2003, residents approved $30.8 million worth of work that paid for a high school science wing, an auditorium, elementary and middle school athletic field renovations and technology enhancements throughout the district.

In 2005, a $16.5 million bond was greenlighted to cover the cost of a middle school music wing extension, middle school gymnasium and ventilation, drainage, sanitary sewage system, and landscaping enhancements across the three schools.

The scope of this new proposed bond allocates $12.1 million to cover projects at the high school, $10.5 million at the elementary school, $6.2 million at the middle school, and $4.2 million at the athletic complex.

Of that $4.2 million for athletics, $2.9 million would go toward replacing the bleachers, press box and field house, while $1.4 million would pay for turf and track replacements. The lining of the field, new goal posts and soccer nets are also included in the renovation cost.

New bleachers, which will be handicap accessible, would be installed on the home and away sides, with rear lighting affixed to both sides of the bleachers. The new press box, along with the concession stand and restrooms, would be in the same location, and new LED lights would be installed on existing light poles.

At the elementary school, $5.5 million would cover the cost of instructional space updates, including hallway and cafeteria renovations, and $3.3 million is slated for roof replacements and masonry wall work between the old and new gymnasium.

The building was constructed in 1959 and needs new ceilings, lighting, flooring and HVAC connections in classrooms, Probst said. Classrooms with restrooms would also get bathroom overhauls. An additional $375,000 would cover the cost of cooling the cafeteria, and $450,000 would pay for electrical service upgrades. There’s also $330,000 slated for building window replacements, $335,000 for fire alarm system replacements and $200,000 for the removal of portable classrooms.

The superintendent said the portable classrooms were added to the elementary school campus about 20 years ago and were designed to be temporary. The portables are no longer used to house any full-sized classrooms, and Probst said the related services they are currently used for, like WeCare, can be absorbed into other spaces within the building.

At the middle school, $1.759 million would replace all wood-framed double-hung windows, most of which are original, and some of which are in a wing added in 1977. An additional $869,000 would revamp one pair of single-use restrooms and one pair of boys/girls bathrooms per floor, $750,000 would cover material masonry work — including complete reconstruction of the cupola — $721,000 is slated for roof replacements, $680,000 for HVAC upgrades, $500,000 for electrical service upgrades, $475,000 to cool the cafeteria and $400,000 for elevator upgrades.

Much of the same would occur at the high school. On top of cooling the cafeteria, $1.2 million would refurbish the space, Probst said, leaving it available to house end-of-year testing.

The roof over original portions of the building are out of warranty, the superintendent said, so $6.9 million would pay for roof replacements, and $926,000 would cover similar restroom reconstruction — one pair of single-use restrooms per floor. Of the funds set aside for the high school, an additional $800,000 is for elevator replacements, $680,000 for HVAC upgrades, $650,000 for electrical service upgrades and $50,000 for hallway flooring.

There’s also $750,000 in the proposal for library reconstruction. The library is original, Probst said, and the district is looking to modernize it — upgrading ceilings, lighting, the HVAC system and flooring — and giving it a fresh coat of paint. A handicap lift would also be installed.

“The proposed bond includes necessary projects,” said board President Suzanne Mensch. “If approved, the capital improvements in this bond will benefit all students in the district.”

Should funds be left over, the district is proposing additional work, including concrete, sidewalk and parking lot renovations; ceiling and lighting replacements; and floor tile abatement and replacements districtwide. If costs for the original scope come in over budget, the district will either look to cut costs, eliminate projects or pull money from other funds to finish the job.

More information on the bond proposal can be found on the district’s website and via a voter guide mailed to residents.