WPCNR SCHOOL DAYS. From a White Plains CitizeNetReporter. February 16, 2006: The Annual Budget Committee met Wednesday evening at 5 Homeside Lane, continuing the process of analyzing the proposed $167.5 Million 2006-2007 School Budget. Don Hughes, attending the meeting tells WPCNR there was “hardly any new material at all. Still the same presentations we saw earlier at the board meetings.”

Hughes said that it was reported in response to a Committee request that the School District faces outstanding certiorari suits totaling $92 Million (filed by 250 properties), which the Business Office reports to WPCNR, are expected to be settled for approximately $32 Million over the next five years, which the school district may have to handle by borrowing on short term bonds more extensively. Whether the amounts would be evenly balanced or hit the district all at once can not be determined at this time.

The meeting was to present the School District’s capital projects consisting of  upgrading the infrastructure of the nine school buildings for $25 Million; building new or refurbishing a new Post Road School for $32 Million, and synthetic turfing and building new stands and facilities at Parker Stadium and Loucks Field for $10 Million. Hughes reports “the group was very unhappy with the information presented on the new projects. They accused the district of presenting them with a fait accompli.” Hughes says, “this was unfair since all the information that they (the group wanted) had been presented at previous board meetings.”

WPCNR has reported extensively on the details of the capital projects plan over the last six months during public meetings in which the architects explained in detail the rationales behind all three capital projects.

“Members of the Citizens Planning Committee,” Hughes writes WPCNR, “pointed out that the Comprehensive Plan (for the city) fails to consider schools; and the district and city should work together and come up with a long range plan prior to investing significant money in new buildings.”

Hughes said more than one speaker again brought up the mistake the district made in selling off properties in the past (twenty years ago). Using eminient domain to recover some of the properties was suggested.

Bob Levine said the School District “had not made the case” for the capital projects plan. “All we see is the last part of it,” he said. Levine also noted the Comprehensive Plan did not address the growth and maintenance of schools in the city, suggesting a city/school district joint effort to plan how the district would grow.  Levine also requested a fourth meeting of the Annual Budget Committee be held to involve the committee in deciding whether to bond.

Superintendent of Schools Timothy Connors said the School Board wants community input on the Capital Projects plan and is scheduling community meetings to allow citizens to weigh in on the plans. Those dates and places for the Board of Education Capital Projects “Tour” have not been announced as of today. Donna McLaughlin asserted that the Board had reached out to the community to explain the plan and had invited the ABC to attend previous presentations by the architects.

The next meeting of the ABC Committee is March 8.

The Business Office reports that there have been no further cuts to the budget at this time. It still sits on $167.5 Million an 8% increase. The Business Office reports they will be getting information on PILOT this week, and it appears says Jacquelin Mackin of the Business Office that PILOTS will not be increasing at this time, but she expected clearer information Friday.

Tom Roach, Arnold Bernstein and Glen Hockley, all city councilpersons attended the meeting.