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Taxpayers To Vote On $1.4M Hammond School Project

Story Published: Mar 4, 2013 at 4:41 PM EDT

Story Updated: Mar 4, 2013 at 7:20 PM EDT

It costs close to $41,000 a year to keep the lights on in classrooms and provide power to Hammond Central School.

School officials say they hope to be able to cut those energy costs by 6 percent or more with the installation of a 150 kilowatt solar panel energy system.

It's all part of a proposed $1.4 million capital improvement project that goes before district taxpayers next week.

"It would generate probably $20 to $22,000 a year, roughly was their estimate, which would be half our energy costs for electric," said Douglas McQueer, district superintendent.
 
In addition to the $895,000 alternative solar energy system, the proposed project would also cover the $73,000 cost of replacing a damaged blade on the school's 20 kilowatt wind turbine.

An aging food storage freezer would also be replaced with a newer more energy efficient outdoor model.
 
The building project will also allow for the installation of new locked security doors with a buzzer system to improve student safety in the event a lockdown is needed.
 
School officials have also proposed adding a new $108,000 computerized shared fuel station with the town and village of Hammond at the bus garage to improve efficiency.

Meanwhile, a new visitor parking lot would be built in the front of the school.

"Roughly 65 percent of it would be covered by state aid," said McQueer.

Another $50,000 to $110,000 would come from grants.

District taxpayers would be responsible for 30 percent of the cost over a 15 year period. 
 
Voting will be held March 12 from 1:30 p.m. to 8 p.m. in the school cafeteria.
Friday, May 24, 2013
, Watertown, NY

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