WPCNR MR. & MRS. & MS. WHITE PLAINS VOICE. February 7, 2006: Peter Bassano, a member of the White Plains Board of Education writes WPCNR describing how he sees the decision to borrow or not to borrow or partially borrow for the School District $67 Million Capital Improvement Program now being considered:

John,

    I wanted to clarify and expand on some of the issues described in your article oncerning at last night's School Board meeting.  Of course, I can speak only for myself.  From my perspective, however, the Board has a ways to go before we endorse any bond proposals.

(More)

  Over the past several weeks, the Board posed a number of questions to the administration and the
architect concerning the various construction proposals and related matters.  Some questions were addressed in last nights presentations, some are addressed in the many documents provided to board members last night and some questions are still being worked on. The Board is continuing its due diligence and will likely pose numerous additional questions as this matter progresses.

    We are now at a point where it is appropriate to open the proposals up to more widespread public scrutiny.  We call upon the community to apply their critical eye to these proposals and help us evaluate and perhaps design this large community undertaking. 

      In addition, when I spoke about separating the issues into three categories (required infrastructure repairs, new building construction and athletic fields) my point was that we may decide it is prudent to move forward immediately with all or portions of the required infrastructure repair work and possibly some or all of the athletic field work but
postpone consideration of the new construction proposals until we are satisfied that all appropriate due diligence has been completed. 

I can assure you that if and when the Board endorses one or more of the proposed projects, we will have carefully considered questions of long and short term needs, alternatives, costs and the views of the White Plains
community. 

Peter Bassano
(Member, White Plains Board of Education)