COPES CORNERS – With voting just weeks away, Gilbertsville-Mt. Upton’s school superintendent explains how the school and its students will benefit from upgrades to both the inside and outside of the building.

Approximately a year has passed since a committee was formed to examine and explore options to be included for a building project. A committee of 13, with 12 of the individuals living within the school tax district, have designed a project proposal that will be voted on by the public from noon to 8 p.m. Dec. 12 in the main lobby of the school.

Superintendent Doug Exley explains this proposal, unlike the one presented to voters in 2003, is better designed to meet the needs of the students as well as ease the burden on tax payers.

“We are utilizing the state EXCEL aid, which for us being a high needs district is the maximum it can be by the state, and we still have building merger aid,” said Exley. “The costs are covered 98 percent and has zero impact on the tax levy.”

Over the past year the committee has maintained a primary focus on educating the public on what to expect as a result of voting to approve the project. “The committee has gone to local organizations as well as doing house visits, which brought community members together in a casual type setting,” said Exley.

To receive EXCEL aid from the state education department the school has to clearly identify their needs and how the project fits into the limitations of the five specified areas laid out by the state. “We hope to target all five areas,” said Exley, stating also that the district complied with the New York state building condition survey.