CARMEL – When residents in the Carmel School District go to the polls in May to vote on a budget for the 2026-27 school year and elect members to the board of education, they will also be asked to approve a tax neutral proposition totaling $2.5 million for safety improvements at the district’s transportation depot adjacent to the Kent Elementary School.
On Thursday Superintendent Michael Plotkin said the project would not be a new facility. “It would just take what we have and make it better by including paving, fencing and adding buffer zones, which would increase safety and security, protect our employees and increase the usable life of our buses.”
Plotkin stressed that the project would be “funded entirely through the district’s existing Capital Reserve Fund, meaning there would be no additional cost to taxpayers. A capital reserve functions like a savings account, allowing the district to set aside funds over time for specific long-term projects such as facility renovations or equipment upgrades. Using this reserve ensures we can maintain and improve our facilities responsibly, without increasing taxes.”
Four years ago, the Carmel Board of Education decided to discontinue pursuit of the construction of a proposed bus maintenance facility approved by voters in March 2018.
School trustees had discussed the proposed construction of the facility off Route 52 in Kent with its consultants and advisors, seeking to determine its feasibility given the many challenges that the project had faced. While several options were presented and discussed, the board determined that it was no longer possible to stay within the scope of the voter-approved project due to issues related to estimated costs.
The cost of the $6 million bus depot ballooned to more than double the price.
The new project calls for paving at the current site along with the reconfiguration of parking for the district’s fleet of buses that carry children throughout the 84 square mile district each day.
Plotkin said the plan will also improve traffic flow resulting in enhanced safety and security. “By increasing the lot size and the area that is paved, the district will optimize space while enhancing vehicle maintenance. Currently the bottoms of district vehicles are rotting out since the majority is not parked on pavement.”
Improved entry and exit points will also reduce congestion, said Plotkin adding, “Safety will additionally be enhanced for our drivers.”
If approved at the polls construction is slated to get underway during the summer of 2027 resulting in what Plotkin said would not impact children and staff attending the Kent Elementary School.
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