2022 Field Improvement Referendum

Any resident of the School District who is registered to vote in general elections is qualified to vote at  said meeting without having their name placed upon the School District register of voters provided they voted at a general election at least once within the last four calendar years.  Further, provided that any person who has previously registered to vote in any annual School District meeting or election or special School District meeting or election and who has voted at an annual School District meeting or election or special School District meeting or election held during the past four years (2021, 2020, 2019, 2018) shall not be required to re-register. For more information please contact District Clerk: Mary Beth Mancuso at mmancuso@mtplcsd.org.

No. Because the principal and interest payments will be paid with retiring debt, it is structured to have no additional impact on our residents’ taxes.  Please see below for a chart from our Financial Advisor, Bernard P. Donegan, Inc., which shows that the current level of debt never goes above the existing payment schedule.

Passage of the 2022 bond is important to fund key improvements to the main multipurpose field at Westlake High School. In Mount Pleasant we recognize that athletics are a key component and extension of our instructional program. It is also a source of community pride and provides venues for us to come together while we support our student athletes. Similar to a classroom space, it is essential that our athletic spaces be reliable for use and of high quality. Weather, maintenance, and drainage issues often preclude us from using our grass fields to their fullest capacity. This can result in the loss of opportunities for our students to compete and host during both the regular season and high-level, postseason competitions at home.

Of the 72 high schools in Section 1 athletics, Westlake is one of only seven districts without an artificial turf field (five are in Westchester). Grass fields need periods of time to rest, require an enormous amount of water and maintenance, and are susceptible to deterioration following rain. This forces unwanted postponements or having the Mount Pleasant football, lacrosse, and soccer teams play more road games.

The scope of the project is exactly the same as was to be presented in March 2020. It includes a complete renovation of the existing athletic complex, including installation of an artificial turf surface, a resurfaced track that rings the field, LED lights for night games, a press box at the back of the existing bleachers and a concrete pad for utilities to provide necessary power for food trucks to operate. The main competition grass field will be replaced with artificial turf that will be infilled with ceramic coated sand. It will be suitable for the multiple sports that are played at the high school. The five other surfaces at the high school and middle school campus will also get important upgrades, although grass will be maintained. New drainage systems, sodding, and irrigation systems as well as new dugouts, bullpens, and bleachers will be added at multiple locations.

Yes!

Yes!

We will be holding information sessions, sending emails, and meeting with community groups. Please look for ways to get informed or reach out to Dr. Giarrizzo at 914-769-5500 or at pgiarrizzo@mtplcsd.org to speak or meet with him directly.

If approved by the voters in March, we expect to break ground in November 2022 with an intended completion date of September 2023. The project will be broken into three phases so that other fields can be used while construction occurs. 

The total amount of the bond vote to be held on March 29, 2022 is $9.777,745.