CRCS Unveils New Capital Project

COBLESKILL - At the latest CRCS Board of Education meeting on Monday evening, Superintendent Matthew Sickles introduced a draft proposal for the district’s new capital project.

“We did not anticipate this project at this time,” explained Superintendent Sickles, who noted the quick turnaround time since the completion of the 2022 capital project just last school year. 

However, the two projects are tied closely together. While the 2022 project was ambitious and sought to remedy much of the failing infrastructure of the four schools, it came in over budget, and so many high-priority items had to be cut from the final plan.

Picking up those discarded pieces, the proposed 2024 project will attempt to correct what the last one could not. Superintendent Sickles said that this plan will be a “limited-scope construction project” in all four schools that addresses health, safety, and infrastructure.

“We should always be just finishing and just planning capital projects,” Superintendent Sickles continued, elaborating on how the district should be entering a cycle of taking on projects as they retire older ones.

He then switched to telling the Board what kind of work will occur in which schools. Beginning with Radez, this new project plans to add rooftop air handlers, renovate the nurse’s office, the former main office suite, and the former girls’ locker room, replace accessories for the gym stage, and replace or add playground equipment.

Ryder will have much of the same playground treatment as they plan to replace both equipment and the fencing, while the Ryder-Golding connection will see the roof, exterior wall, and chimney renovated.

Golding will receive a lot of outdoor work centered on the Elm Street overlook in the form of exterior stair, ramp, and sidewalk reconstruction, and repairs for the facade, masonry and windows. 

Finally, the high school that still has much of its original infrastructure plans to see replacements for the door sets and windows at its entry points, sidewalk reconstruction and fire pump replacement, HVAC capacity improvements, repairs on the failing brick facade, and the installation of eight electric bus charging stations.

In total, the 2024 project plans to cost twelve and a half million dollars, but Superintendent Sickles said “The type of work that we’re doing is highly aidable,” and there is estimated to be zero impact on either the Capital Construction Reserve or the tax levy.

While no action was taken on the draft proposal at this time, Superintendent Sickles said that the project leads will meet to refine and solidify both the projected scope and the total cost for another presentation at the next regular meeting.