Voters approve $50M bond in Plainview-Old Bethpage school district

A slim majority of residents in the Plainview-Old Bethpage school district voted in favor Tuesday of a nearly $50 million bond issue that administrators sought to make improvements and upgrades in security, technology and infrastructure, school officials said.

There were 842 yes votes and 781 no votes in ballots cast at three of the districts schools. The approval means that $49,816,257 will be allocated for repairs and upgrades to the district's buildings.

Projects include enhancements to basic structures such as windows, doors, ceilings and roofs.

The money will also pay for improvements in lighting, cameras, motion detection, fire alarm systems, exterior and interior doors, accessibility projects, roof replacement, air-conditioning, heating and ventilation, science labs, art rooms, bathrooms and masonry reconstruction, the district said.

Administrators said that the cost of the 20-year bond for a home assessed at the average of $985 will be $196 a year. They also said some of the bond costs will be covered by state aid.