"The mountains labored and a mouse was born." The Ad Hoc Advisory Committee did lots of work, but permitted themselves to be swayed to approve unnecessary items. The new proposed bond will amount to $37,670,000. While this figure amounts to a reduction of 25 percent, it is still far above an acceptable and reasonable amount.

The bulk of the $37,670,000 is allocated to the high school, $13,103,000, and the middle school, $8,320,000, for a total of $21,423,000 or about 57 percent. Compare this to the total for the kindergarten and primary schools, $16,247,000, or a total of about 43 percent.

When our problem is clearly with the kindergarten and primary schools, the committee is throwing the bulk of the money at the high school and then the middle school. Assuming the demographic figures are correct, which is questionable, there is relatively no current problem of population expansion in the high school or middle school. Even the committee agrees with this premise.

The Committee states that the additions to the budget for population expansion in all areas amount to $12,080,000 or about 32 percent of the total bond. While some of the remaining $25,590,000 or 58 percent is appropriately spent, much of it is allocated to luxury items. Uniondale passed a $26,000,000 bond issue. It included capital projects, upgrading of technology, 61 new classrooms, and the replacement of five temporary classrooms with permanent structures. The bond was approved because that school district had an influx of 900 students between 1995 and 1998. We have about half of such an increase for the same period.

The Garden City school board has said that they plan to approve [the meeting to approve the bond was held after press time] the bond proposal in the amount indicated and live with the consequences. My suggestion and those of others that the bond issue be divided into two parts was rejected out of hand. Such approach would take care of the kindergarten and primary schools where the space is needed. We could then wait and see if the middle school and the high school actually need new construction. Laboratory upgrades could be accomplished with major construction and/or handled in the regular budget.

It must be pointed out that the main reasons the proposed bond is so expensive are: 1) The three and one half years of time spread in order to complete the work; 2) The architect selected was the most expensive by far; and 3) Luxury items are still included. The "elite" of Garden City refuse to settle for anything less.

Also, the Uniondale experience was not unique. In Smithtown, voters approved a $28,000,000 bond that will add 47 classrooms to its eight elementary schools by September 1999. The district currently has an enrollment of 8,000 students. We have 3,582. In Munsey Park, the elementary schools have added a total of 16 new classrooms, four for kindergarten and the rest for first and second grade. This construction is part of the $21,500,000 upgrading of the Manhasset Schools. It should be added that most planners agree that school boards have to study demographic reports carefully for the longer term, since the enrollment figures will probably fall off after leveling sometime between the year 2002 and 2007.

Finally, we are now seeing the costs associated with the failed bond issue, which the school board pushed. I estimate that the amount of money wasted was well over $500,000. Perhaps, the school board will publish the exact amount. Is this about to happen again?

Joseph Calamari

P.S. At the last regular meeting of the school board, I raised a question as to the legality of the new public relations contract. The board indicated that it would study the Commissioner of Education opinion I submitted and advise. Meanwhile, the flyers continue. I was also advised by the committee and the board that there is no opinion on record as to its legality.