WPCNR SCHOOL DAYS. By John F. Bailey. February 8, 2007 UPDATED 10 A.M. UPDATED February 9, 2007: WPCNR has learned from two sources that the City School District has been ordered to pay a settlement to a former contractor on the high school addition project completed in 2003.  The school district had withheld payment from a contractor over certain matters, and the contractor sued the district. Calls to the district business office, the clerk to the school board and the Superintendent of Schools have been made by  WPCNR for details on the case. The possible payout to the bondholding company, Travelers Casualty and other contractors could be, according to court papers received by WPCNR may be  $2,000,000 plus. The amount is being determined, and whether or not the district will appeal is being examined by district lawyers at this time.  

The case developed out of the delay-plagued $28 Million high school addition, begun in summer 2000, predicted by its architects, Kaeyer, Garment & Davidson, to be completed in a year and a half (fall 2002). However the project was not completed until the close of 2003, a full 3 years plus. The Class of 2004 of White Plains High went to high school for all four years with construction going on during their school day.

During the construction there were disputes at the outset which lost 17 consecutive days of labor in summer 2000 due to a mix of non-union and union contractors. The district, according to one highly placed source, withheld payment from the contractor, which has had a history of contract disputes with  eventually terminated the lead contractor and sued the insurance company, Travelers Insurance Company for $2 Million. Other contractors on the project sued the district for $6 Million because of delays.

The attorney on the case Charles Goldberger appeared at an executive session last week, but it could not be determined that he was reporting on this particular matter.  

Kaeyer Garment & Davidson has been awarded another major project by the district to design and supervise the $69.6 Million capital improvements project now under way in the school district. This  includes the building of a new Post Road School for $39 Million, two synthetic turf football stadiums for $9.6 Million and $15 Million of infrastructure repairs to the high school, elementary schools and middle school and other district buildings. Kaeyer Garment & Davidson will be paid approximately $6 Million in commission for the entire project, expected to be completed in three years.