• The District recognized the need for assistance from the school and community to determine the scope of work and dollar amount for the proposed Capital Improvement Project.

    The Superintendent's Capital Improvement Project Committee was established     with committee membership representing the various components of the North Tonawanda City School District. Committee members represent: taxpayers, parents, students, teachers, support staff, administrators, businesses, and senior citizens. The individuals on the committee were selected based on recommendations from the Home School Associations, Board of Education members, the Superintendent and others.

    The committee was asked to make a recommendation to the Superintendent of a proposed district-wide scope of work and project costs to be included in the Capital Improvement Project.
     
    The 20 committee members that worked so hard were:
    • Athena Schmidt, Drake
    • Catherine Silvashy, Gilmore
    • Jim Scutt, Meadow
    • Susan Schrock, Ohio
    • Nancy Marotta, Spruce
    • Renee Mariott, NTMS
    • Jane Divirgilio, NTHS
    • Gabrielle Mittiga, BOE-Student 
    • Dawn Kwasniak  
    • Steve Adams
    • Walt Yaro
    • Dieter Zahn
    • Daria Carnduff, Teacher
    • Wendy Richards, Administrator
    • Christine Williams, CSEA
    • Dennis Pasiak, NT City Council
    • Ann Finkle
    • Jerry Divirigilio
    • Sandy MacFarland 
    • Doug Taylor
    • Dave Guido, BOE liaison

    Although the committee members may have represented different constituencies, it worked as a team in recommending what they viewed to be in the best interest for the school district as a whole. The committee met as many times as they deemed necessary to achieve their charge.

    Kideney Architects, District Architect, served as facilitators for this committee. They assisted the committee with the following: review of documents and information including building condition reports of existing facilities, analysis of the existing facilities in terms of meeting educational needs and space standards, enrollment projects, technology plan, asbestos abatement, health, safety, security, state aid analysis, and financial data. They also were able to consider any additional items not included in the documents reviewed.

    The Committee's Recommendations:
    • A Capital Improvement Project to the maximum amount that can be funded with a zero dollar increase in the taxpayers' school tax bill.
    • They recommended the importance of the expenditures being generally for Priority One items mandated by New York State, technology upgrades and site safety improvements and then Priority Two items.
    • They recommended that the School Board and School Administration consider reallocating building space as necessary to "right size" our district. 
    • They recommended that specific attention be paid to leveraging any available opportunities with BOCES.
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    Additional Notes on Information Provided to the Committee:

    The Superintendent made available information and assistance from resources that the committee desired, including those from within and outside the District. This committee was independent of the BOE and administration and was given complete freedom to make any recommendation they desired.

    It was understood that the Board of Education would review their recommendation and revise it as necessary based on additional information which may not have been available to the committee at the time of their report. The additional information included but was not limited to updated cost estimates and architectural design issues.

    The BOE met several times with Kideney Architects and engineers; the Fiscal advisors, and the Orleans-Niagara BOCES District Superintendent, Dr. Clark Godshall, in order to be kept up to date with the information that the committee had received and to have their concerns addressed.

    The Board considered the recommendation of the Superintendent's Capital Improvement Project Committee and spent additional time discussing the Project Cost and Scope of Work to be done.