Mattituck H.S. track bond proposal passes
The Mattituck-Cutchogue School District will get a new running track next year.
District residents voted 777-386 in favor of the $925,000 track bond proposal during a special vote Tuesday night in the high school gym. Of that total, there were 49 absentee ballots cast, with 34 voting yes and 15 voting no.
Superintendent James McKenna said he’s “thrilled” the bond was approved.
“This will be a wonderful asset for the school and community,” he said.
Senior Kyle Freudenberg was also excited about the track bond proposal passing.
Although she won’t get to enjoy it during her final school year at Mattituck High School, she said she’s pleased others will get to enjoy the new facility.
“I’ve been pushing this since eighth grade,” she said. “I’m so glad it passed.”
Officials have said the estimated cost of installing a new all-weather, polyflex track over the existing facility is about $675,000. The remainder of the bond would go toward purchasing portable bleachers and irrigation upgrades ($50,000), perimeter sport netting ($40,000), sidewalks ($15,000) and asbestos remediation work inside the school ($25,000).
The proposal also includes a $120,000 contingency budget. Some fees, such as architecture and legal, are lumped into the contingency budget, district business administrator Michael Engelhardt said.
Mr. McKenna said the asbestos remediation project was added to the bond because the state reimburses 10 percent of the total cost of capital improvement projects, including asbestos remediation work.
Sidewalks are needed in order to make the facility handicapped accessible, he said, and netting is a safety precaution to block lacrosse balls or other equipment from entering the track while it’s in use.
Mr. McKenna said nearly 15 percent of the high school’s 800 students participate in track and field and a new track would allow them to host home meets. The community would also be allowed to use the facility, he said.
As for estimated tax increases, Mr. McKenna said the yearly increase over 15 years would range between $8 and $12 for houses assessed at $400,000 to $650,000.
Construction is expected to start in June. Officials estimate the project will take about three months to complete.
