$27M OKd for updates to Longwood schools

Residents have given the Longwood Central School district the green light to invest more than $27 million in updating the system's technology and infrastructure.

In a bond vote held Tuesday, the proposition passed 784-331, district officials said.

"This is an important project that will help the district to substantially reduce energy costs while addressing several critical maintenance issues," Longwood Superintendent Allan Gerstenlauer said in a news release.

About half the funding will be used to improve building infrastructure with eco-friendly updates, including solar panels at Longwood High School, energy efficient light, light sensors, a computer-controlled energy management system and new windows at Longwood Junior High and Longwood Middle schools.

The upgrades are expected to save the district about $1 million a year in energy costs. As such, officials expect no impact on taxes.

The bond will also replace the 2,700 aging computers in the district, said school board president Michael Loguercio. "It was a commitment of the community to maintain our facilities for our kids," he said.

The Longwood High School track will be replaced by a synthetic field, to serve football, soccer and lacrosse and community groups.

The projects will be launched with $4 million in capital reserves, but district leaders expect $15.8 million to be refunded through state aid. All told, Gerstenlauer expects to spend $7.5 million in district money on the projects.

Work will begin this summer with the replacement of a roof at the middle school. New roofs are also scheduled for the district's four elementary schools. The projects will be staggered over several years.