Pierson's Educational Facilities Planning Committee Presents at Most Recent Board of Education Meeting

Over the past year, public discourse and commentary related to the Sag Harbor School District has been dominated by efforts to add to and improve athletic facilities for students.

Providing safe and adequate spaces for children in the Pierson Middle-High School to reap the benefits of participation in interscholastic sports has long presented a unique challenge for district administrators and the Board of Education, because the school sits on a small piece of land surrounded by residential neighborhoods.

The district has spent a lot of time working on a plan for much-needed upgrades at nearby Mashashimuet Park, located 1.1 miles from school grounds, where the majority of Pierson practices and athletic contests are held. In an attempt to find a way to host more of those games and practices closer to the school itself, the district tried to purchase 4.13 acres of land on Marsden Street, across from the middle school, but the community narrowly defeated that proposition when the budget vote was held in May.

While addressing athletic needs has been a big focus lately, like any other school district, Sag Harbor must take a holistic approach to creating priorities and making plans when it comes to addressing all of its varying facility needs. At the most recent Board of Education meeting on June 26, members of the district’s educational facilities planning committee presented to the community the work they have been doing over the past year to that end.

“We spent a lot of time this year on Mashashimuet Park and the proposed acquisition of Marsden, but what should not be lost is that we have a pretty large facility that needs constant attention,” Superintendent of Schools Jeff Nichols said before the start of the presentation, noting that developing both mid- and long-term plans related to district needs is important.

“The primary charge of the committee is to serve in an advisory capacity to the board,” he pointed out. “It’s incumbent upon the board to take the next steps, and come up with a plan to move forward in a thoughtful way.”

School Business Administrator Jennifer Buscemi gave the presentation at the meeting. She is one of 17 members of the committee, which also includes Board President Sandi Kruel, board members Ryan Winter and Ron Reed, Paul Wilken, the school’s director of facilities, as well as other administrators, teachers, community members and parents.

During meetings throughout the year, the committee discussed the Visual Building Condition Survey Reports that are essential to developing the long-range plans, as well as various other topics that have been at or near the top of the priority list, from planned upgrades at Mashashimuet Park, to the middle school roof project, masonry projects, renovation of the high school gymnasium, the creation of a “wet lab” for the science department, and more. Buscemi also shared the funding sources for the long-term plans, showing that there is currently $4.945 million in the Facilities Improvement Capital Reserve Fund, another $1 million in the Technology and Security Capital Reserve Fund, and close to a million dollars in the Repair Reserve Fund.

Bathroom renovations, emergency lighting upgrades, replacement of flooring and other infrastructure, and an extension and refinishing of an outdoor basketball court will all be funded by an annual budget appropriation of $415,600 for the upcoming school year.

Buscemi gave a detailed presentation (available for view on the school district website) with information about the long-term facilities plan over the next several years, but the main future project recommendations included security upgrades, the creation of a Pierson Middle High School Wet Lab, which could also be used by elementary and learning center students, renovation of the high school gym, creating or finding room for more athletic fields, Learning Center kitchen upgrades to restructure the lunch program, creation of a large group instruction space/all purpose room at the elementary school, and technology infrastructure upgrades.

The committee recommended that plans for the security upgrades, wet lab and high school gym renovation be developed and added to the May 2024 ballot as propositions requiring voter approval.

After the presentation, a small handful of community members had a few questions and spoke during public comment.

Resident Grover Pagano wanted more details about where the money in the reserve funds comes from, and how the district chooses which reserves to add money to, and how much money to put in the different funds. Buscemi explained that budget surplus is the answer, and added that the district has exceeded its revenue projections in that arena in certain areas, such as nonresident tuition. She also pointed out that, back in November or December of last year, the district did a detailed presentation on the ins and outs of its reserve funds, which is available on the district website.

Before the start of the meeting, the board recognized Vice President Brian DeSesa, who is stepping down from the board after choosing not to run for reelection. DeSesa served on the board from 2019 through 2023, and Nichols shared his thoughts about his tenure.

“You’ve always been level-headed and reasonable and measured in how you approached the position,” he said of DeSesa, who served as president for a portion of his four years. “I think your service has helped the district move forward.”