Board of Education Statement Regarding Scraggy Hill Property
Posted Date: 08/27/26 (01:05 PM)
Dear Port Jefferson School District Community,
As a Board of Education, one of our primary responsibilities is to be good stewards of the district’s property and financial resources. As part of our ongoing review of the district’s budget and long-term financial position, we evaluated the district’s assets, including property located adjacent to the Scraggy athletic fields.
As part of that process, the Board decided to explore whether there was a viable financial opportunity to sell the property. An RFP was advertised in the latter part of June, and the district received one written proposal. After careful consideration, the Board rejected that proposal.
The Board has since decided to issue another RFP in September, with a longer response period in order to provide additional opportunity for interested parties to submit proposals.
It is important to emphasize that this involves only the property adjacent to the Scraggy athletic fields and is not the school or any district buildings. Issuing an RFP does not mean the property will be sold. The Board has the ability to reject any proposal that does not serve the best interests of the district.
If a proposal is received that makes sound financial sense, considering both the short-term and long-term economic impact on the district, any sale would ultimately be subject to voter approval. The voters of the Port Jefferson School District will have the final say in the future of the property.
There is also the possibility that the RFP process will not produce a proposal that makes financial sense. If that occurs, the property will remain an asset of the Port Jefferson School District.
Our responsibility as a Board is to examine every available resource, ask the difficult questions, and make decisions with the long-term interests of our students, taxpayers, and community in mind. Exploring the potential sale of an asset is simply part of fulfilling that responsibility.
Sincerely,
Ellen Boehm
President, Board of Education
Port Jefferson School District
[Thursday, Aug 27 at 9:33 AM]
Update: To clarify, the RFP refers only to wooded property adjacent to the Scraggy athletic fields. It is not the school, the athletic fields, or any district buildings.
As a Board of Education, one of our primary responsibilities is to be good stewards of the district’s property and financial resources. As part of our ongoing review of the district’s budget and long-term financial position, we evaluated the district’s assets, including property located adjacent to the Scraggy athletic fields.
As part of that process, the Board decided to explore whether there was a viable financial opportunity to sell the property. An RFP was advertised in the latter part of June, and the district received one written proposal. After careful consideration, the Board rejected that proposal.
The Board has since decided to issue another RFP in September, with a longer response period in order to provide additional opportunity for interested parties to submit proposals.
It is important to emphasize that this involves only the property adjacent to the Scraggy athletic fields and is not the school or any district buildings. Issuing an RFP does not mean the property will be sold. The Board has the ability to reject any proposal that does not serve the best interests of the district.
If a proposal is received that makes sound financial sense, considering both the short-term and long-term economic impact on the district, any sale would ultimately be subject to voter approval. The voters of the Port Jefferson School District will have the final say in the future of the property.
There is also the possibility that the RFP process will not produce a proposal that makes financial sense. If that occurs, the property will remain an asset of the Port Jefferson School District.
Our responsibility as a Board is to examine every available resource, ask the difficult questions, and make decisions with the long-term interests of our students, taxpayers, and community in mind. Exploring the potential sale of an asset is simply part of fulfilling that responsibility.
Sincerely,
Ellen Boehm
President, Board of Education
Port Jefferson School District
[Thursday, Aug 27 at 9:33 AM]
Update: To clarify, the RFP refers only to wooded property adjacent to the Scraggy athletic fields. It is not the school, the athletic fields, or any district buildings.
