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Y o r k t o w n C e n t r a l S c h o o l D is t r i c t

2725 Crompond Road Yorktown Heights, New York 10598-3129www.yorktown.org Telephone: (914) 243-8000 Fax: (914) 245-5566

B O A R D O F E D U C A T I O NPRESIDENT DISTRICT CLERK TRUSTEESJACKIE CARBONE REBECCA NARVAEZ PETER BISACCIAANTHONY DALESSANDRO

VICE PRESIDENT DISTRICT TREASURER THOMAS DONATELLIKAREN CORRADO KEVIN LIEBERTZ MICHAEL J. MAGNANISUPERINTENDENT OF SCHOOLS DEPUTY TREASURERRALPH NAPOLITANO, Ed.D JOANNE ODOARDI

A Statement Concerning the Farmhouse

Date: July 21, 2011For Immediate Release

From Jackie Carbone, President

After careful consideration, the Yorktown Board of Education has awarded a bid to abate anddemolish the farmhouse that sits at the entrance to the Yorktown High School campus. This work ispart of the $37 million capital bond project approved by the voters in 2006. Prior to the bond beingpresented for a public vote, extensive analysis and work was done for a number of years, includingSEQRA (State Environmental Quality Review Act) compliance which included notification to andapproval from SHPO (State Department of Historic Preservation) and public meetings where the

information was presented along with alternatives. The Facilities Committee ultimatelyrecommended the demolition of the building. This committee was comprised of district staff, boardmembers, the construction manager, architect and several community members. All of this workpreceded the approval by the Board of the proposition to place before the voters.

It has been asked if alternatives have been looked at since the voters approved the bond. The answeris yes. Over the past five years we have entertained numerous groups including: Hudson ValleyLacrosse, who found it too cost prohibitive to consider for a museum and a local realtor/appraiserwho wanted to see if it could be moved to another location in his expert opinion not enough wassalvageable to make it worthwhile to move (much of the structure was reconstructed early in the1900s). Our engineers have said it isnt structurally stable enough to move. The Yorktown Chamber

of Commerce looked into possible use of the building, they also found it too cost prohibitive. TheTown Clerk visited as well and she brought along an historical architect who after examining thebuilding also determined that there was little left to save and not much of historical significance. Asfor our using it for students, it is against state law to put students in a wood-framed building. We as adistrict have no need for the space.

People have spoken about getting volunteers to fix up the building and donations of somematerials and supplies. But under NYS law all work done on our campus (that we expend even onepenny on) must follow the general municipal law, labor law and the Commissioners Regulations.This includes paying prevailing wages and following the Wicks law. It is compliance with theserequirements that make this project prohibitive.

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The farmhouse has been rebuilt over the years. Much of what is inside is not original to the building.The roof and the rafters have been changed at some point during the 20th century as they are not handhewn beams, rather milled lumber. The fireplaces are just false fronts leading to neither a firebox norchimney. A utilitarian bathroom (circa 1960s) was installed; walls were paneled with imitation woodpaneling. Floors have been rotting away for many years; some have been covered in asbestos tile.The outside of the building is sheathed in aluminum siding. Rooms have been divided, closets built,sheetrock covers much of the walls. A boiler was added to provide heating.

When much of this renovation work was done, there were few regulations or knowledge abouthazardous waste. Asbestos was used as insulation and in floor tile as well as in joint compound, leadwas used in paint. This has left this building with serious environmental hazards that by law must beabated, whether the building is torn down or renovated. The abatement cost alone is greater thanoriginally estimated, it exceeds $150,000.

We have been accused of not meeting with groups interested in preserving the building. That isuntrue; many people have been allowed to go through the building. In June the town asked us to meetone more time with this group, a representative came to our Board of Education meeting, he wasallowed the opportunity to speak and we responded. He thanked us for our time and said heunderstood and acknowledged that we had done our due diligence.

Why not sell it for one dollar, along with parking and some land. There are many reasons, ownershipcan be ceded only by a public referendum even for a dollar, and we cannot give it away. To allowoutside use on our campus during the school day creates concern for the security and safety of our3,000 students on the campus. Plainly the building cannot be used during school hours. There isinsufficient infrastructure of the main road for a new turnoff into the building.

During the week of July 11, the media alerted administration that there was going to be a protest atthe building Thursday at 2:30pm. We contacted the police for safety and security reasons. The 6 or 7people that showed up were under the impression that they could access to our building and meetwith the district. There was never a meeting scheduled nor were they ever granted permission to go

through the building.

Last, Is this what the Strang and Purdys families would have wanted? I do not know the Strang orPurdys families, but I would assume that they would want their legacy to be for the good they did andto be remembered in the minds and hearts of the citizens, not in the materialistic possessions theymay have once owned. They sold their land and buildings in the first half of the 20th century. I wouldassume as most homeowners do when they sell their house they relinquish the right to determinewhat happens to it after. Would Mildred Strang want us to ask the community to give us endlessamounts of money to fix up a building that cannot be used for educational space, rather than use thosefunds to retain staff and program that effect our students.

The Board of Education truly appreciates the cooperation and concern of the community as we havelooked at alternatives over the past five plus years, and firmly believe that this decision is in the bestinterests of the community, given our responsibility to consider the safety and finances of the districtfor the long-term.