Voters Approve Track Upgrades By Wide Margin

Students at the Mattituck-Cutchogue Union Free School District will be getting a new track.


The capital improvements bond vote, aimed at track renovation, passed on Tuesday, with 777 voting yes and 386 voting no.

"Thank you the community for its support," the district wrote on its website Tuesday night.

Voters headed to the polls Tuesday to vote on a new track for students in the Mattituck-Cutchogue Union Free School District.

The Mattituck-Cutchogue UFSD Board of Education authorized the special vote on Tuesday asking taxpayers to approve a bond to reconstruct the high school track at a cost not to exceed $925,000.

The reason behind the vote is that the current cinder track is over 40 years old and is not suitable for a high school track program, according to the BOE.

The replacement track will be a six-lane polyflex track surface that would meet all high school track standards. The new track would be in the same location as the existing track.

A breakdown of costs includes a complete all-weather track, for $675,000; sidewalks, for $15,000; perimeter sport netting for $40,000; portable bleachers & irrigation for $50,000; asbestos floor abatement for $25,000; and a 15 percent contingency budget of  $120,000.

The interior project allows the district to receive building aid from New York State at a rate of approximately 10 percent.

Construction wil begin in late June, 2014 and is expected to reach completion three months later.

The total cost is not to exceed $925,000 and will be bonded over 15 years. 

For residents with homes with a market value of $400,000, taxes would rise $8 per year for 15 years; for a home with a market value of $500,000, taxes would rise $9 per year for 15 years; the hike would be $12 per year for 15 years if residents own a home with a market value of $650,000.

After the vote, supporters of the proposal rejoiced. "The old track is over 40 years old, one of the last cinder tracks on Long Island," said Susan Tyler. "The Mattituck track team has been unable to host home meets for years as the track was determined to be unsafe and other schools wouldn't compete on it because of liability issues."