The District cannot spend any money from the Capital Reserve Fund established in March 2009 unless that expenditure has been approved by the community. Qualified voters will have the opportunity to vote on such an expenditure – for the construction and improvement of playing fields and cultural arts facilities – at a referendum scheduled for Tuesday, December 8, 2009 between 6:00 a.m. and 9:00 p.m. at the appropriate Katonah-Lewisboro elementary school.

The Referendum: Key components are:

·         A new, natural grass softball field at the AP Farm Athletic Fields that meets section standards,

·         A renovated, John Jay High School baseball field that meets section standards.

·         A new rectangular multipurpose turf field with environmentally friendly in-fill at the AP Farm Athletic Fields,

·         A restroom facility and landscaping at AP Farm Athletic Fields,

·         Air conditioning in the John Jay High School music rooms to provide climate-controlled space for musicians and musical instruments; storage lockers in the performing arts hallway.

The Financials:  The project, estimated at $3,128,927, will be funded entirely from monies in the Capital Reserve Fund established and funded by community vote on March 17, 2009. There will be no tax increase or bond associated with this referendum. The AP Farm Athletic Field land was donated (a gift valued at $1.5 million) under the condition that the land be used for District playing fields. The entire project will benefit from New York State building aid, which is estimated to yield approximately $780,000 in reimbursements over a 15-year period.    

The Need: The number of athletic fields on the John Jay campus has not changed since the high school opened in the late 1950s. As a result, physical education and athletic programs have not been able to keep up with student participation and interest. The softball and baseball fields are not level, and their dimensions do not meet section standards. Fields are overused and stressed because they cannot be rested. Regarding performing arts facilities at the high school, the referendum would provide storage space for instruments, additional practice space, and a climate-controlled area for instruments susceptible to damage from temperature fluctuations.

The Capital Reserve: The $3,150,000 currently in the Capital Reserve Fund can be used only for the following purposes: Developing the AP Farm Athletic Fields and/or renovating other school district fields and/or renovating high school cultural arts facilities and/or renovating other district classrooms and/or replacing boilers or HVAC equipment in district buildings. These funds may not be used to pay teachers, reduce taxes, or for other budget items.

For more information about the referendum and voting (including by absentee ballot), visit the Katonah-Lewisboro School District at www.klschools.org.

The Katonah-Lewisboro Union Free School District, a nationally recognized high performing school district, serves approximately 4,000 pupils in six schools: Increase Miller Elementary School Grades K-5, Katonah Elementary School Grades K-5, Lewisboro Elementary School Grades K-5, Meadow Pond Elementary School Grades K-5, John Jay Middle School Grades 6-8 and John Jay High School Grades 9-12.

Referendum Question & Answer Brochure now available under Board of Education Downloads