POPLAR RIDGE - As a Southern Cayuga Central School District committee charged with studying future facilities needs presented its findings, it was met with some resistance to the idea of a building consolidation.

During a public information meeting Wednesday, Long Range Facilities Planning Committee member John Schmitt showed about 30 people how the committee concluded closing Emily Howland Elementary School and moving the elementary students into an enlarged middle/high school campus in Poplar Ridge was the most viable option.

Based upon enrollment studies - which states the district will have about 700 students in 10 years - the district's education plan, current space utilization and programming, the five-year building condition surveys for both buildings as well as the projected estimates to renovate both campuses, the committee determined this option to be the most fiscally responsible.

Emily Howland - which opened in 1958 - has some big ticket maintenance items that must be addressed, including failing caulking around windows, outdated heating and ventilation systems as well as water, drainage and plumbing issues. There are areas of the school that are out of compliance with state handicap access regulations. The cost of bringing the school to the state's minimum health and safety requirements is estimated at $4.6 million.

“These are things we are going to have to do if we keep that building going,” Schmitt said.

There are also major renovations needed to the Poplar Ridge campus - the high school opened in 1968 with a middle school extension build in 1990 - to the tune of $3.25 million. If the district went ahead with maintaining both buildings, Schmitt said the estimated combined cost would be

$7.8 million with the district receiving state aid at 81.2 percent.

That would bring the annual local share after borrowing to about $134,614, which would raise taxes about 2 percent.

While the estimated cost of merging the buildings would be $13.75 million, there would be an approximate $233,000 savings in eliminating Emily Howland, which would bring the annual local share after borrowing to about $58,909. That carries an estimated 1 percent tax increase.

A proposed building plan calls for the addition of an elementary wing onto the Poplar Ridge campus that connects to the middle school and also the high school through the pool. Students will be grouped by age with an elementary, middle and high school. Construction will also connect the school to the planetarium, which currently does not receive state aid.

But these plans were met by some resistance from community members, who were concerned, among other things, about possible interaction between elementary and high school students and if enrollment actually increases in 10 years instead of decreases.

Superintendent Mary Kay Worth said the school will use the same bell schedule - it currently does with the middle and high school - but will make adjustments so students in the different school groups will not interact. Additionally, enrollment in the next few years will decrease, so even if there is a population blip, the school can absorb those students.

Judy Buxenbaum, of Ledyard, wondered why the Poplar Ridge campus doesn't have room for 800 students now when it did in 1968. Worth said 40 years ago the state didn't have special education requirements and technology didn't exist, both of which require lots of space.

There was also a conversation about what happens if the state forces small districts to consolidate. Worth had recently spoke to a state legislator, who said if that did occur, it would be a long process that would include several hearings. While the state deliberates, the district would still have to do maintenance to buildings.

Staff writer Alyssa Sunkin can be reached at 253-5311 ext. 239 or alyssa.sunkin@lee.net