Forums scheduled for April 30 and May 6

SCOTIA — The Scotia-Glenville Board of Education will hold two public forums about proposed building projects and the $46.65 million budget for next school year.

The first will be at 7 p.m. on Thursday at the Scotia-Glenville Middle School library. The second will be at 7 p.m. on May 6 at the middle school following the 2009-10 budget hearing.

Voters will head to the polls on May 19.

The Board of Education trimmed about $1.3 million from the initial proposal. School officials said the proposed budget would decrease the 2009-10 tax rate by at least 0.5 percent when the tax rate is set in August.

Voters will also decide on two building projects. The first, a $9.3 million project, would: upgrade and replace the current technology server capabilities; improve infrastructure at all six schools; replace public address systems and clocks; and, reconstruct aging roofs at Glen-Worden, Lincoln, Sacandaga, the middle school and the bus garage.

The project would also: replace the high school’s current steam heating system with a more efficient hot water system; replace the current six-lane track and bleachers; renovate the high school library’s noisy and inefficient ventilation system; replace Glendaal’s hot water boiler; and, rebuild the high school front sidewalk and remove the canopy.

The second project, which would only pass if the first proposal is also approved, totals $2.575 million and would reconstruct and enclose the middle school’s “open” library media center by adding walls, improving ventilation and expanding the teaching space. This plan would also construct a corridor around the library.

The district plans to pay for this project using state aid and money from its debt reserve accounts, so the local tax impact would be minimal, school officials say.