Dear West Genesee Community,
The District is excited to let you know that you will soon have an opportunity to weigh in and let your voice be heard on an issue that has the potential to positively impact the West Genesee school community for decades to come.
On March 24, 2026, the District will hold a second vote on the proposed Capital Project regarding the construction of a much-needed transportation center. After significant consideration on the matter – and in pursuit of our desire to ensure that every resident has all of the necessary information to make an informed decision – the Board of Education recently passed a resolution to bring the second vote on the Capital Project to the public.
The decision to again bring the vote to the public was not made lightly; it was based in large part on the significant feedback received from the community since the proposition was defeated by 37 votes in December. The conversations we have had since the first vote suggest that there are several issues that require clarification, including:
Current Transportation Building Condition: The existing transportation building is no longer adequate for our operations. Unfortunately, the building, which is a former Kmart location, is in a dilapidated condition and the extent of necessary refurbishments is cost-prohibitive. Renovating the current structure would be more costly and would include a temporary but disruptive relocation of the entire bus fleet.
Potential Location for New Transportation Facility: The District explored locations at both Camillus Middle School and West Genesee Intermediate School. However, those locations do not support the necessary structure.
Band Storage: The building included in the project is not a new need, but replaces the area that has been used for several years in the current transportation facility that will be demolished in this project.
Electric Buses: The District is not transitioning to electric buses. However, New York State does have legislation in place that will require all school districts to transition to electric buses in the near future. While the Capital Project is not being considered because of the NYS legislation, a new transportation center will provide the added benefit of allowing the District to a seamless transition to zero emission transportation if and when the NYS laws become a reality.
Golf Course Rumors: The Capital Improvement project does not include or even consider the refurbishment or reinstatement of any aspect of the prior golf course.
The Administration, together with the Board of Education, believe that those issues are important enough to warrant not just a second vote, but a total information campaign to provide you with the data you need to make an informed decision.
The evolution of this project has spanned nearly two years. With the assistance of architects and other professionals, the initial plan submitted to NYSED has been refined to minimize costs to the fullest reasonable extent and tailor the scope of the proposed project to the point that further revisions would be impractical, would fail to take advantage of maximum state aid, or would fail to address areas of the District that are in dire need of repair.
In addition, this Capital Project provides a much-needed answer to traffic and parking issues that our community has identified as top priorities. In the recent annual School Climate Survey:
Among 638 Family Responses, parking was identified as the #1 issue.
Among the 3,340 responses from All Stakeholders, parking and traffic patterns were listed as a top 5 issue.
Our hope is that by providing more information -and making that information more accessible to you - we can ensure that every voter is fully informed, and that voter turnout on March 24 will be representative of the entire community's voice.
Information will be provided to you by way of the District publication, the Capital Project Communicator. Complete information regarding the Capital Project is also available on the District website (www.westgenesee.org). There will also be opportunities in the upcoming weeks for you to ask questions and discuss the Capital Project with the Superintendent at two scheduled Community Forums on the following dates:
Monday, March 9, 2026, 7:00 p.m. - Camillus Middle School Cafeteria.
Monday, March 16, 2026, 7:00 p.m. - West Genesee High School Auditorium.
The vote will take place on:
Date: March 24, 2026
Location: West Genesee High School Auditorium
Time: 6:00 a.m. – 9:00 p.m.
We look forward to the continued opportunity to provide you with more information over the coming weeks.
Your time is very much appreciated. Thank you!
Sincerely,
Aaron J. Ryder - President, Board of Education
David C. Bills - Superintendent of Schools