Dundee field house vote is March 3

DUNDEE--Village residents will have the opportunity to vote on the Dundee Central School District's proposed field house next month. The upcoming vote will take place Tuesday, March 3 in the school's public meeting room, with polls open from noon to 8 p.m.
School Business Official Melissa Lawson gave a brief overview of the project to a small crowd at a public hearing held by the school board Thursday, Feb. 12. She said the project is for an approximately 2,016 square foot field facility to be located at the district's athletic fields. Lawson said the estimated cost of the building is not to exceed $300,000, and will include related site work, original furnishings, fixtures and equipment, architectural fees, and all other costs incidental to such work.
Lawson said the money being used to fund this project comes from the money left over from a 2009 capital project, which was approved by voters. In order to be able to use the remaining funds, the district must once again receive voter approval to use the money toward the field house project, since it was not part of the original scope of the capital project. Lawson said the project does not include much work other than the basic structure of the field house, adding it will be used for storage and concessions at the athletic fields.
"Every day we struggle with storage," Lawson said. "It is a very real need in this district."
One member of the audience claimed the rendering of the proposed field house looks almost identical to the field house in use at the Penn Yan Central School District, adding it seems to work well for them at the neighboring district. While the Dundee Sports Boosters had previously raised some money for the new field house, the $5,000 that was raised will instead be put toward concessions equipment to be located within the field house.
Superintendent Kelly Houck said if the measure is approved by the public, the Dundee school board is prepared to accept bids on the project by their next regular school board meeting Thursday, March 12. She said the district then plans to break ground and begin the project in April of this year, with intentions to complete the field house for use by this fall.
School Board President James Koehler said if the field house project is to come in less than the $300,000 allotted for it, the district will spend the remainder on alternate projects. Lawson said these may include items like a new fire suppression hood in the cafeteria kitchen, or improving access to the school's roof for maintenance and upkeep.