ROME, N.Y. (WUTR/WFXV/WPNY) – Rome voters have passed a $21.6 million Capital project, which will allow for upgrades to all schools across the district. 

“The big piece of it is really some work at the high school making sure we upgrade our fire alarm system and get it modernized more digital in nature some continued general maintenance items to the high school and then there’s a fairly large section of athletic work being done at the high school,” said Peter Blake, Rome City School District Superintendent.

The district will touch on every building, making the lobbies more secure and general maintenance to keep the schools up to date. The project will be at no cost to the taxpayers and will be funded through state aid, and about 3.4 million is coming from the district’s reserved funds. However, the plan does not include a solution for the closure of george r. staley elementary school following flooding in 2021. 

“Addressing that building is a separate project we plan to have that project ready for a vote in December but most of that work is being done in conjunction with FEMA so we’re kind of in a little bit of a holding pattern right now as it relates to what will be done in relation to that building,” said Blake.

Around spring 2023 they will plan to secure contractors….with work starting that summer…with the project being completed somewhere around 2024 or 2025.