WPCNR SCHOOL DAYS. February 4, 2006: The Assistant Superintendent for Business for the White Plains City School District has announced his retirement effective in September. Terrance Schruers, who replaced Richard Lasselle in September of 2003, will leave the district after three years almost to the day he came to White Plains.
Terrance Schruers, Assistant Superintendent for Business, left, with City Assessor Eyde McCarthy talk about PILOTS, April 2006. Photo, WPCNR News Archive.
Mr. Schruers plans to leave the School District almost three years to the day when he came to White Plains to replace Richard Lasselle, the previous Assistant Superintendent for Business for eight years. Schruers is known for his candor and willingness to answer any question on finances with patience, and for outlining a financial situation realistically.
Mr. Schruers has also nimbly kept the budget from requiring double digit property tax increases by using the school district ability to bond for short terms for certiorari repayments, and has scheduled them to be paid off within the next two years.
He leaves White Plains as the city school district faces a school budget ($167.5 Million projected for 2006-07), that by existing contracts and inflation alone will top $200 Million by 2008-2009. It is not known whether Jacqueline Mackin, who has assisted Mr. Schruers these last three years and Mr. Lasselle, before that, will be promoted to Mr. Schruers position or whether a search will be conducted for a successor.
Schruers in his management of the city budgets has faced a dwindling assessment roll that declined $12 Million between 2003 and 2005, lead by the city's most successful businesses filing certioraris that they won. Among those businesses contributing to the certiorari drain were AT & T, Westchester One, Nordstroms, Gateway I and Bloomingdale's. In 2005 and 2006 the School District bonded for $16 Million in certiorari refunds.
The district will lose Mr. Schruers at the time when it may be floating its largest bond in its history, $67 Million for building improvements in the district.
