NO SCHOOL: Thanksgiving Recess
Voters overwhelmingly approved the City School District of Albany’s 2019-20 budget May 21 as well as Proposition #2, a facilities package that includes the renovation and expansion of North Albany Academy to create a new permanent middle school.
Board of Education President Anne Savage and board member Damarise Alexander-Mann, both running unopposed, also received new four year terms that will begin July 1.
A 72% majority of voters (2,019-792) said “yes” to the district’s $260.4 million budget proposal.
The budget includes a 1.99% tax-levy increase, the sixth year in a row the increase has been less than 2%. It is the third year in a row and the fourth time in five years that more than 70% of voters approved the district’s budget proposal.
For Proposition #2, 70% (1,929-820) voted to approve the $45.6 million facilities package, which will be completed with no impact on taxes. That surpassed the 60% approval required because of state regulations regarding debt calculations for small-city school districts, which are stricter than debt calculations for non-city school districts.
Proposition #2 will support the district’s plan to establish a 650-student middle school at North Albany, which will open for the 2023-24 school year. That project includes the district’s $2.5 million purchase of the North Albany YMCA to incorporate into the new middle school.
Other projects in Proposition #2 include a $3.4 million expansion of Arbor Hill Elementary School and a five-year facilities plan that includes 87 projects in 18 buildings.
