In a little over a month, East Hampton School District residents will have the chance to vote on three measures of importance not just to students but also the wider community. One would authorize spending $64 million for extensive renovations and safety upgrades at the elementary school, middle school, and high school. The second would be about $45.7 million for an indoor swimming pool that would be open to the public after school hours. The third, at $18.5 million, would pay for a new, multi-purpose athletic facility, like the pool, open to all in the evenings and some weekends.
Though the total — $128 million — might seem like a lot all at once, the renovation and upgrades package would not add another penny to tax bills as existing district borrowing debt is paid off. The other two projects going before voters, the pool and sports building, would add about $285 per year to a hypothetical $6,000 household assessment. It is not this newspaper’s right to tell anyone how much they should be willing to pay in property taxes for education; however, in the big picture, we see no reason to argue against the bonds.
Proposition One’s list of improvements is extensive. For example, the high school auditorium would be redone and new artificial turf playing fields with stadium lighting and bleachers installed. At the middle school, the auditorium would be modernized, windows updated, and several new classrooms added. The John M. Marshall Elementary School would get indoor and outdoor repairs, a new gym floor, and rooms for music learning and students with sensory issues.
If voters okay Proposition One and say yes to Proposition Two, the pool would feature eight lanes, a one-meter diving board, raised bleachers, a handicapped-accessible ramp, and separate locker rooms for students and the community. The existing Y.M.C.A. East Hampton RECenter swimming pool has little capacity for additional use, a new one at the high school would be a terrific addition for young and old alike.
If Proposition Three is a go, the indoor athletic space would include a full-size basketball court, an indoor turf playing surface, bathrooms, and so on; it is worth noting that kids from as far away as Montauk often have to go to Southampton Youth Services to participate in wintertime soccer and basketball leagues. Groups could perhaps hold Ultimate Frisbee practices and competitions there. It could even simply be a terrific option for parents looking for a way to let their children get off their electronic devices and just run around for a while in colder months or on rainy days.
The propositions will appear on the May 19 ballot along with the annual school budget vote. Proposition One must pass for Two to go forward, and Proposition Three will only be a go if One and Two also pass. We encourage readers to consider approving all three. Detailed descriptions of how the money would be spent can be found on the East Hampton Union Free School District website under “2026 Bond Project.”