Battling BCS Board Debates Snap Capital Project Plan

by Thaddeus Flint
The Berlin Central School Board rarely fails to impress with its ability to pull controversy out of hats, and Tuesday’s meeting was no exception with a surprise capital project presentation by the architectural Firm CS Arch.
Richard Peckham from CS Arch quickly outlined improvement projects for both the Berlin Elementary School and the Berlin High School, that could fix many of both buildings’ deficiencies without, at the same time, actually fully solving all the problems of either. Flashing from one PowerPoint® slide to the next his pitch made it seem that in a few simple steps the District could solve most of its structural problems for only $6.8 million. But that’s not all! With New York State building aid of around $5.1 million and tapping the District’s Capital Fund for around $1.7 million, all this could be done with no increase to the tax levy.
While the idea behind a need in the District for capital projects is hardly controversial, the way this plan was put together surely was. Board President Gina Goodermote and Board Member Jim Willis apparently worked out the idea together, consulted with District Superintendant Dr. Stephen Young, who has only been in the District since September, and then contacted CS Arch to have them come to the meeting and make their presentation.
Board Member Alan Webster Jr. could have hardly looked more surprised. “I just kind of find this unbelievable,” he said, “not being part of any initial discussion is kind of perplexing to myself.” This was in fact the first time he, as well as Board Members Bev Stewart and John Nash, had heard of the details of the plan.
So why was one part of the Board off planning capital projects whilst another part was left in the dark? “I wanted to get this done,” said Goodermote, who has often in the past made public her frustrations of the Board spending years planning projects that never come to anything while buildings are left crumbling in the mean time. At last month’s meeting she even wanted to suspend the Leadership Advisory Committee which has been endlessly studying the future “footprint” of the District but whose latest accomplishment was receiving about 12 responses to a survey sent out to a selection of residents.
Goodermote sees the clock ticking away. Capital Projects have to be planned and presented to the public before anything can be started, and if this project were not put out to vote soon the possibility of losing grants in the fiscal year is very real. “I thought this option should be out to the voters,” she said. “Under Bev’s leadership nothing was going forward,” said Goodermote, who became Board President in July, “instead of accomplishing things we find our emails splashed all over the front page of the Eastwick Press! We have been children on this board!”
“Speak for yourself,” stated Nash. He found the newest plan too “piecemeal” and reiterated his feelings that any plan for the District should include thought as to what will become of the empty buildings in Stephentown and Grafton. “We need a more comprehensive plan,” he said.  Besides that, he pointed out how a zero increase in the tax levy does not equal a free building. The funds from the State are the taxpayers’ money. So are the monies in the Capital Fund.
Stewart felt that even spending close to $7 million would not be nearly enough. “It’s a very small amount of what needs to be done overall,” she said. “I’m not opposed to the plan,” she added, “I am opposed to the way it has come about.” Yet Stewart felt that spending even $4 million of the $7 million on Berlin Elementary was merely a “band-aid” effort. “I do have a problem putting money into a building that I firmly believe is beyond repair,” said Stewart, “in no way do I believe students should be there.”
According to Willis though, the plan is “a win-win situation.” It is what the District can afford to fix in this current economy. “If my house needs a roof and paint, I’m going to put on a roof,” he said, “I’m not going to bulldoze the building.”
Board Member Frank Zwack pointed out that the New Lebanon School District, also working with CS ARCH, managed to repair and re-utilize their building which is even older than Berlin’s. “Been there..seen it..beautiful building..great job,” said Nash, his tone making it clear he was unconvinced.
Goodermote remained adamant that the project should be studied. “We need to stop wasting money and start addressing the problems,” she said. Goodermote asked that the details of the plan be posted on the District’s website, www.berlincentral.org, so that residents can make their own decisions. “There will be no secrets,” she said.
What To Do With The Stephentown And Grafton Buildings
Next up was what to do with the elementary school buildings in Stephentown and Grafton that currently sit empty and yet which must still be heated and maintained. Goodermote proposed that Dr. Young write a letter to the towns in which the structures reside asking if there would be any interest from either the towns governments or fire departments in acquiring those properties. This would only be a preliminary study to gauge interest in those communities should the District one day decide to sell or give away the buildings.
The Board with the exception of Nash more or less went along with this. Stewart did point out that the letter should probably go out after the next election in November so that it did not become a campaign issue. Webster asked if Dr. Young would also reach out to private schools in the area who might even consider using one of the buildings to open a local branch of their campus in the future. With the rising number of parents in the District sending their children out of the District to other schools, this might one day be feasible.  A parent that very night had appealed to the Board to consider transporting her children to the Pine Cobble School in Williamstown. Dr. Young, who had earlier promised he would have the District’s transportation department look into the parent’s request, was happy to honor Webster’s as well. “Absolutely,” he said.
Nash however remained adamant in his position. “I will not support giving away those buildings,” he said, “we should maintain ownership in those buildings forever.”
Discussions of buildings that night were closed with the thoughts of Pam Gerstel who addressed the Board during public comment. Gerstel has spent her entire life in the Berlin School District and not only went to school there but taught athletics for years as well. Gerstel stated that the Berlin Elementary building deserved to be repaired. She has seen how happy the children are who attend school in it. It means a lot to the town. “This building is very important to me,” she said, “this building has been part of my life since I was five. This is my building.”
The Board Keeps Its Legal Counsel
The Board then returned to battle, a battle with itself, when the discussion turned to the subject of changing the District’s legal counsel. Currently the District is represented by Whiteman, Osterman & Hanna.
Some of the Board members are not satisfied with the service they have been getting. According to Nash, “Some advice from legal, in my opinion, really violated school law on a couple of occasions. I don’t feel our current firm has served us well.” Stewart agreed. “We do have a record of poor advice.” In one example she pointed out how the current firm sat by and allowed the Board to vote members in with a secret ballot, which is not correct. Webster said, “I agree with Bev; I am totally dissatisfied with their advice. This District can do better.”
And yet some Board members were quite satisfied. “We have never lost a big case,” said Willis. He also figured that costs to the District to change legal representation and get the new firm up to speed would be money poorly spent. Board Member Rachel Finney added that since the firm had been with the District for years and years she saw no reason to change. Zwack felt that the current firm was a good value. “We have never written a big check,” he said. The matter was put to vote and Whiteman, Osterman & Hanna remain the District’s legal council with Zwack, Goodermote, Finney and Willis voting for, and Stewart, Nash and Webster voting against.