Q. What is EXCEL Aid?
 

A. Expanding Our Children’s Education and Learning (EXCEL) is a form of state aid available to school districts for a limited time that covers the cost of certain repairs and improvements to schools, including projects related to health and safety, energy management, accessibility, physical capacity expansion or school construction. Approved by the New York State Legislature in April 2006, EXCEL Aid provides $1.8 billion in infrastructure repairs for New York City schools and $800 million for districts throughout the state. Districts have been awarded specific amounts based on enrollment. EXCEL funding totaling $1.8 million has been earmarked for North Colonie, while another $57,000 has been designated for Maplewood.

Q. The EXCEL project may be completely covered by New York State, but doesn’t that money really come from my pocket as well?
 

A. Yes, it does. Similar to other state funds, EXCEL aid comes from income and sales tax paid by New York residents and business throughout the state. EXCEL funding was set aside in the 2007 state budget and will be spent whether or not North Colonie’s proposed referendum is approved. If the proposed project is approved on March 3, it will mean that more of your state tax dollars would be spent locally to make improvements to your schools.

Q. If state funding is going to cover the cost of the projects, why is the district holding a referendum?

A. Under state law, a district must receive voter approval before borrowing money. As a condition of EXCEL funding, the district must first incur the cost of the work and will later be reimbursed by the state.

Q. Why do we need this building project?
 

A. The proposed project addresses critical needs throughout the district including many infrastructure repairs and improvements, such as replacing roofs, boilers, inefficient heating systems and antiquated equipment. Much of the equipment is original to the buildings and the manufacturers are no longer in business making it both expensive and difficult to find replacement parts.

The availability of EXCEL aid and state funding would allow the district to proactively make these necessary renovations before having to make repairs on an emergency basis, which is often more expensive. In addition, most of the proposed work must be done within the next few years in order to keep our school buildings safe, efficient and up to code requirements, as well as to provide students with a healthier and more comfortable learning environment.

Q. Who assessed the needs for this project?

A. Nearly all of the 75 improvements identified in the proposed capital project were driven by the district’s 5-Year Capital Facilities Plan, as required by the New York State Education Department. The plan, completed by district officials, architects and engineers, prioritizes facility infrastructure improvements and building program needs on a district-wide basis, focusing on health and safety issues. It is reviewed and updated annually, re-prioritizing needs as necessary.

Additionally, some of the projects planned as part of the $32 million bond project, approved by voters in May 2001, were deferred due to unexpected repairs. EXCEL funding now provides the opportunity to fulfill the entire vision of the 2001 project.

Q. What happens if voters do not support this project?
 

A. Without voter approval, the district will not be able to take advantage of the unique funding opportunity provided through EXCEL Aid, which will allow the district to make improvements at little or not cost to taxpayers. EXCEL Aid is a one-time only state aid program and will most likely not be available next year. Many of the proposed projects including replacing boilers, air handling units and unit ventilators, doors and windows; and modernizing inefficient heating systems are health and safety concerns and will still need to be addressed in the near future in order to keep our buildings safe, efficient and up-to-date. If the proposed project is not approved by voters on March 3, many of these improvements and upgrades will still need to be made, potentially using money from the annual school budget, funded by local taxpayers. In addition, should the district need to make emergency repairs (for example if a boiler fails) payment for this type of work would have to be made immediately rather than spreading the cost out over many years.

Q. Where can I get additional information on the proposal?
 

A. For more information, visit the EXCEL project section of the district Web site, attend one of the public presentations to be held throughout the district in January and early February, and read the capital project brochure and special edition newsletter to be mailed to all district residents later this winter.