SUNBURY -- Renovations to SUN Area Career & Technology Center are back on the table, with a price tag $10 million cheaper than the previous plan.
Shikellamy school board member Preston Ross presented the revised plans to the school board Thursday night.
To pare the project down from $24 million to its current price tag of $14 million, Ross said members of the New Berlin school's joint operating committee eliminated plans for additions to the health and dental buildings and an addition for the culinary building.
The new plans provide for the addition of 5,525 square feet for theory rooms, which are rooms open to each of the school's departments.
"The problem we have right now is we bought equipment, large equipment. ... But the equipment has eaten up the space," Ross said. As a result, teachers have had to hold classes in second-floor lofts, "which is just not safe."
The plan was to put the original $24 million project on the April ballot as a referendum, giving voters the opportunity to decide whether they wanted their taxes raised to fund the improvements.
But of the five school districts that send students to SUN Tech, two -- Midd-West and Mifflinburg -- voted not to put it on the ballot. The other three -- Shikellamy, Lewisburg and Selinsgrove -- would have allowed it.
The decision upset Ross, who said Thursday, "All we're asking for is that it goes on the ballot. ... We keep talking about representing the people. Here's truly a chance for the school boards to put the question to the people."
In order for it to go on the November ballot, all five school districts have to approve the referendum.
If they do -- and voters approve a tax increase -- each of the five school districts would have to pay $2.8 million for the project.
For Shikellamy, that would mean a .44-mill increase for one year. Lewisburg would raise taxes .31 mills, and the increase would be .57 for Midd-West, .13 for Mifflinburg and .25 for Selinsgrove.
"It's not going to be much," Ross said of the cost to the average Shikellamy taxpayer. "The benefit we get out of this building is staggering."
Board member Lori Garman was hesitant to support a referendum, citing the price of gas and the poor state of the economy.
"A lot of these kids, they're your economy," Ross responded.
Shikellamy sends 60 to 70 students to SUN Tech, according to Ross. The school's total enrollment is less than 300.
The board will vote on the referendum proposal at their meeting next week.
Superintendent Alan Lonoconus said all the school districts have to decide by Sept. 2.
n E-mail comments to rscott@dailyitem.com.
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