Don't Be Discouraged

The recent vote by Montauk School District residents to reject a plan to borrow $38 million for major renovations at Montauk School has to be the start of a conversation, not the end of one.

The problem remains: New York State has labeled the school’s facilities “unsatisfactory,” and district officials acknowledge that there are “significant issues in student life” as a result of the setting for the school day. The students of Montauk deserve better — and the taxpayers of the school district have to accept that their interest in the matter has to go beyond merely the tax bill they receive every year. They have a responsibility to this generation, and those to come, to provide a proper setting for public education.

That’s not to say there isn’t potentially a large space between what is necessary and what has been proposed. There’s no question that issuing a bond equal to more than 18 months of overall district spending to pay for upgrades is an enormous ask at a time of such economic unrest. And if you’re asking, you have to be able to sell the idea effectively — a hill that district officials simply couldn’t climb.

So now that voters have spoken — but they are not necessarily beyond listening. The vote on May 20 had record turnout, and almost 47 percent of ballots cast endorsed the plan. A few dozen votes swinging the other way is all the district needs.

Let the negotiations begin. District voters are in the showroom: They simply need to see numbers that make sense for them, and a product they can get excited about.

There are a few places to start the sales pitch. Students shouldn’t be eating in classrooms or learning in temporary structures. Most taxpayers will listen to spending on something like proper science classrooms, perhaps more than talking about $12 million for a new gym, which feels like a luxury (though, arguably, it very much is not). Start the conversation where you have the most traction: in the classrooms.

With such a close vote, it’s very possible that modest cuts to the $38 million plan would be enough to push the project over the finish line. But the district should use this as an opportunity to go for something bigger: Not just a yes vote with a sigh, but a truly enthusiastic backing.

It’s not impossible. Led by Superintendent Joshua Odom, the district has been committed to long-term conversation with district residents, and Odom himself described the vote as “a bump along the way” — exactly the right perspective. This has been a multi-year effort so far, and there’s another year to continue the discussion. What’s important is that voters feel an ownership of the issue, and not simply that a bill is being foisted upon them.

Montauk came close to succeeding on the first try. There is plenty of reason for optimism after the May 20 tally, and with luck it can be turned into energy to close the deal in 2026.