NEWFANE SCHOOLS: Capital project debated

Communities

February 7, 2007

By Bill Wolcott / wolcottb@gnnewspaper.com The Lockport Union-Sun %26 Journal Wed Feb 07, 2007, 02:27 AM EST

NEWFANE — The Newfane Board of Education went into an extra work session after a three-and-a-half hour regular meeting that featured a sometimes feisty give-and-take over a proposed capital project.

The board debated whether to ask the voters to approve a $7.1 capital project or a $14.2 capital project. This angered trustee Carl Stieffenhofer who worked weeks preparing a much more extensive $26 million capital project.

Stieffenhofer packed up his papers in an envelop and left the table during the debate. “I refused to be part of this,” he said. “I will not put my name on this nonsense.”

The board did not consider the original plan and Stieffenhofer said the board did not consider the children. He felt he had been undercut by the board which went from $26 million to $18 million to $7 million.

The result was two proposals which will go to the public. The first would call for a $7.1 million capital project and the second would be a $14.1 million project.

Stieffenhofer said, “Tell the people the truth. We need to do the work. You can’t wait.”

However, board member Gretchen DeWitt voiced concern that the capital project might jeopardize the school budget. Donna Pieszala added, “All this community will tolerate is $7.1 million.”

New superintendent Gary Pogorzelski noted that to get the maximum aid from the state, the board would have to ask for at least $7.1 million. The state may provide for 90 percent or more of the capital project.

“We don’t want to lose EXCEL aid,” board member Anthony LaRose said.

As each plan was discussed, the board the referred to Joe Cassata of Cannon Design. Pogorzelski said Newfane has the jump on other school districts and the school board does not want to lose its edge.

“You should be specific, but be vague,” Cassata advised of the capital project proposal. “Don’t lock yourself in.”

Peter Soemann of the resident watchdog group Newfane CARES applauded the board’s debate on the capital project.

“It was a positive to see the board in action,” Soemann said. “There was a lot of interaction, a fantastic compromise. It think it was productive.”

Stieffenhofer did return to the work session.

“This is the second time I’ve been undercut,” Stieffenhofer said. “We passed a $26 million budget all of a sudden it’s down to $18 million. Now it’s down to $7 million. The thing that amazes me is that this board has not had the guts to talk about what is best for the children.”

There was little said about former superintendent James Mills’ attempt to quash parts of the state controller’s audit of the Newfane district. Former school board members Lois Farley, Donna Hill, Rick Ruhmel and the sitting member LaRose sought a preliminary injunction barring the comptroller’s office from releasing the audit.

In the opening public remarks, Brian Hellner of Newfane CARES said it was an outrage that there was an effort to suppress the audit information.

“It is our right as taxpayers to know what is in that audit,” he said.

Hellner feels it was a reason for the dismissal of LaRose, that he signed onto the suit as a sitting board member privy to executive information about the state report.

LaRose responded, “I’ve been a board member for over 25 years, and have the most integrity and have never had an issue with being a board member in the past. I don’t know why that would come up.”

LaRose would not comment on the audit because it is under litigation.

The board of education has reviewed the audit and will send a response, board President James Reineke said.

Mills is still being paid in the school’s lawsuit against Wendel Duchscherer concerning the swimming pool. He left as superintendent in January, but remains as a contracted employee of the district in regards to the pool suit.

“Dr. Mills is very knowledgeable about the district’s ongoing litigation,” Reineke said. “Dr. Mills is paid in billable hours and those hours are monitored very closely by the (new) superintendent and the board of education.”

Contact Bill Wolcott at 439-9222, Ext. 6246.

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