Special meeting for voting on Project Cornerstone 2026 in Cheektowaga Central School District.

ERIE COUNTY

PUBLIC NOTICE



NOTICE OF SPECIAL SCHOOL DISTRICT MEETING AND VOTE

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CHEEKTOWAGA CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT

ERIE COUNTY, NEW YORK




The Board of Education of the Cheektowaga Central School District, Erie County, New York (the “District”) HEREBY GIVES NOTICE that a special meeting and vote of the qualified voters of the District (the “Special Meeting and Vote”) will be held on Tuesday, April 14, 2026 in the Raymond L. Carr Board Room at the Cheektowaga Central High School building located at 3600 Union Road, Cheektowaga, New York , at 11:00 a.m., prevailing time, for the purpose of voting by electric scan voting machine(s) upon the proposition hereinafter set forth. Polls for the purpose of voting will be kept open between the hours of 11:00 a.m. and 8:00 p.m., prevailing time, on that day. This assumes that the polling place is open and can be safely accessed in accordance with the terms of any prevailing law(s), executive order(s) or other directive(s) from controlling authorities that may be in effect on that day. If on April 14 the polling place cannot be so accessed, or if the polling place is closed on that day due to inclement weather (or for any other reason), it is the present intention of the District that the Special Meeting and Vote will be held on the day on which the polling place is next open and may be safely accessed, with the voting hours remaining the same. In such a situation, voters are asked to please consult the District’s website for guidance on the timing of, and procedures for holding, the re-scheduled Special Meeting and Vote.

PROPOSITION NO. 1

PROJECT CORNERSTONE 2026




Shall the following resolutions be adopted, to-wit:




RESOLVED, that the Board of Education (the “Board”) of the Cheektowaga Central School District, Erie County, New York (the “District”), is hereby authorized to undertake a proposed “Project Cornerstone 2026” (the “Project”) consisting of the partial reconstruction, renovation and the construction of improvements, upgrades and additions to various District buildings and facilities and the sites thereof, at an estimated maximum cost of $49,806,000, to implement various health, safety, accessibility and Code compliance measures that are required by the State Education Department in connection with any significant capital improvements project and various other measures that are generally described in (but are not to be limited by) the written plan for the Project that was prepared by the District with the assistance of Gordon W. Jones Associates, Architects, P.C. (the “Project Plan”), which is available for public inspection in the office of the District Clerk, with such work being anticipated to include, without limitation and to the extent as and where required, the particular elements that are described generally below. Proposed improvements are anticipated at various District buildings, facilities, and sites including the High School/Middle School, Union East Elementary School (“Union East ES”), and the re-opening of Pine Hill Education Center (“Pine Hill”) for the District’s Universal Pre-Kindergarten (“UPK”) and Kindergarten to meet enrollment demand. Such improvements are anticipated to include secure entrance vestibule additions at the main entrances of the High School and Pine Hill, secure entrance vestibule modification at the MS and a Middle School music addition including band and choral rooms. Renovations of interior building spaces is anticipated to include a media center in the High School library, improvements to various classrooms, and main office reconstruction at the High School and Middle School. Proposed Pine Hill renovations are anticipated to include improvements to various spaces such as select classrooms; nurse and physical/occupational therapy rooms; cafeteria; locker rooms; restrooms; existing space adjacent to the proposed secure entrance vestibule addition; and additional corridor lockers. Other renovations to address code, health, safety, and accessibility requirements at the High School/Middle School are anticipated to include structural concrete floor slabs at the High School main entrance and science wing; cafeteria entrance reconstruction; stage rigging system improvements, freight elevator improvements, pool upgrades; and possible fire suppression system for main server room. Similar proposed upgrades are anticipated to include reconstruction of entrances and exits for ADA accessibility; upgraded fire alarm systems at the High School/Middle School and Pine Hill; improvements to the public address, clock system at the High School/Middle School and gymnasium safety cushion wall padding at Pine Hill; and generators, exit lights, and safety window film at all of the schools. Miscellaneous interior upgrades are anticipated to include items such as select floors, ceilings, corridors, and doors; and a roll-down Pine Hill gymnasium curtain. Proposed upgrades to building systems are anticipated to include modernized HVAC equipment upgrades at the High School/Middle School, Union East ES, and Pine Hill such as select classroom and rooftop ventilation and cooling units and controllers including for the High School auditorium, boilers, various exhaust fans and hoods, controls, piping, and plumbing upgrades such as domestic hot water recirculation pumps and system rebalancing, water heaters, storage tanks, waste piping, and ejection pumping. Proposed building exterior envelope work is anticipated to include items such as improvements to select roofs including the High School auditorium/stage and pool/gymnasium, remaining portion of the southern area of the High School building, and portions of the original Union East ES building; upgraded LED High School/Middle School courtyard lighting; and Pine Hill façade upgrades. In addition to building additions and items described above, proposed site work is anticipated to include chain link and picket fencing around the Pine Hill site perimeter; LED site lighting in Pine Hill parking areas and driveways including underground circuiting, poles, bases, and fixtures; small playground at Pine Hill; and dugouts at the High School baseball and softball fields. If the budget allows after receiving construction bids, alternate work might be undertaken including items such as High School stage floor renovation, new Middle School gymnasium bleachers and floor refinishing, gymnasium sound system upgrades/additions at all schools, High School/Middle School electrical receptacle upgrades, cafeteria entrance doors renovation and handicap lift installation at Union East cafetorium stage, wayfinding signage District-wide, new sidewalks on island in front of High School main entrance, and central office renovations, or if other items are identified, additional similar renovations, upgrades, and site work improvements could be undertaken. All of such work (or so much thereof as can be accomplished within the overall budget for the Project, once the construction bids are received) is to be undertaken at an estimated maximum cost of $49,806,000 , and will include the purchase of original furnishings, equipment, machinery and apparatus required in connection with the purposes for which such buildings, facilities and sites are used, and all ancillary or related work required in connection therewith, and the Board is authorized to expend therefor, including for preliminary costs and costs incidental thereto and to the financing thereof, an amount not to exceed the estimated maximum cost of $49,806,000, provided that the detailed costs of the components of the Project (as generally described in the Project Plan) may be reallocated among such components, or such components may be deleted, revised or supplemented if (1) the Board shall determine that such reallocation, deletion, revision or supplementation is in the best interests of the District and (2) the aggregate amount to be expended for the Project shall not exceed $49,806,000 and (3) no material change shall be made in the overall scope and nature of the Project; and be it further

RESOLVED, that the Board is hereby authorized to expend or apply toward the Project (during the current fiscal year of the District) the entire remaining balance (which stood at approximately $9,970,500 as of December 2, 2025), plus any additional interest earned, from the District’s Capital Improvements Reserve Fund that was established in 2017, and then to terminate such fund; and be it further

RESOLVED, that the Board is hereby authorized to expend or apply toward the Project (during the current fiscal year of the District) $7,529,500 from the District’s Capital Improvements Reserve Fund that was established in 2024; and be it further

RESOLVED, that a tax is hereby voted to finance the balance of the estimated maximum cost of the Project in an amount not to exceed $32,306,000, such tax to be levied and collected in installments in such years and in su