Middleburgh Central School is gearing up for an $8.1 million Capital Project it plans to take to voters in May.
The work will tap into MCS’s $2 million capital reserve and state aid, Superintendent Mark Place said Wednesday, which means there will be no increase in taxes.
Assuming voters approve the project—Phase 1 of two—bids would go out a year from now with work beginning in the summer of 2026, Mr. Place said.
Estimates for the needed work came in significantly higher than initially expected, he said; that’s the reason MCS plans to break it into two phases.
Phase 2 would come in 2031 or later, once they’ve had a chance to rebuild the capital reserves.
Work in Phase 1 at the High School would include the columns and entryway, windows, lighting and balcony seating in the auditorium, and ADA accessible bathrooms in the cafeteria.
At the Elementary School, it would include additional space for the Bassett Health Care Center, replacing the bleachers—they’re now unsafe to use—and replacing the Maze Craze, which is 40-50 years old and make it handicapped-accessible.
At the Bus Garage, the project would be used to improve parking, improve storm drainage, and add a lift that can handle electric busses, which are considerably heavier.
Phase 2 would address the High School roof, including drainage, gutters, dormers and the cupola.
It would also address the elementary roof and 20 or so quoins in the gym.
Quoins are masonry blocks at the corner of a wall.
When the quoins were installed, Mr. Place said, the work didn’t include expansion joints and so the walls are cracking.