May 21 ballot to include Maple Avenue referendum

The Chester Union Free School District has placed on the May 21 ballot a referendum regarding the Maple Avenue Building that would authorize the district to transfer ownership of the 1935 and 1965 portions of the building to Orange County at no additional cost to Chester school district taxpayers.

The District would maintain ownership and use of the gym building and athletic fields.

“Winston Churchill said, ‘We shape our buildings; thereafter, our buildings shape us,’” said Orange County Executive Steve Neuhaus. “I look forward to working with the building trades, some of our industry partners, the village of Chester, and the Chester school district in this unique and collaborative effort to create a future for this beautiful building that will shape and enrich our community for years to come.”

The future of the building has been under consideration for some time, including a failed referendum in 2019, and various meetings and community forums.

“We have worked diligently on the future of the Maple Avenue Building for many years, so we are pleased to bring this property transfer to the community for a decision on May 21,” said Superintendent Catherine O’Hara. “We value the community’s voice and interest in repurposing the facility and we appreciate County Executive Neuhaus and Orange County for collaborating with the district to assume ownership and revitalize the building. This initiative holds promise in fostering positive opportunities for Chester’s future.”

The options available for district consideration were presented in a community survey last fall, including listing it for sale, demolishing the building, or letting it continue to deteriorate.

Other uses of the building, such as the district maintaining ownership while creating a community center, were not a consideration for the district, as the building must be affiliated with student or school use.

A gift of deed to a local municipality could achieve the goal to repurpose the building for community use, however, there had been no formal interest from local municipalities until recently when Orange County inquired about the building.

“When Orange County officials approached the district with a new option, it became immediately clear that Chester was looking at an excellent proposal that would accomplish the shared goals of the school community and the community at large,” said O’Hara.

If the referendum passes, Neuhaus will send a resolution to the Orange County Legislature for approval.

Other local leaders commented on the proposed use of the Maple Avenue Building. Orange County Legislator Joseph Minuta said, “Much of our world is already built. Adaptive reuse of existing constructs repurposes past investments of materials, efforts, and skilled trades. This reduces the time, resources, and materials required while at the same time reviving a community.”

Orange County Legislator Glenn Ehlers said, “I’m excited about what’s in store for this terrific building and for our community. County Executive Neuhaus and the great team that will repurpose it have a wonderful vision and I’m grateful to them for seeing the potential in this structure and what it can ultimately become.”

To learn more about the Maple Avenue building referendum, visit the district’s Budget Information Page, where you will find all of the presentations related to the proposed 2024-2025 budget, as well as the Maple Avenue page.

Ballot budget items

In addition to the Maple Avenue building transfer, there are two other propositions on the ballot for the May 21 vote: the 2024-25 budget authorizing the Chester Union Free School District to expend $36,503,854 for school district purposes for the next school year and to levy the necessary tax; and a capital project proposition authorizing the district to implement a safety improvement program consisting of door and transactional area construction at Chester Elementary School, construction of a transactional area at Chester Academy, district-wide security upgrades, other improvements and related expenses at a cost of $1,867,000 plus the necessary tax.

The costs of the project and the related borrowing costs are eligible for New York State Building Aid at 67.7%. According to the school district, an average home in Chester would pay $16.50 per year for 15 years. To learn more, visit the Capital Project page on the district website.