After recent reports regarding the performance contracting presentation given recently at a Board of Education meeting, (the accuracy of those printed in Garden City Life were approved after publication by those involved in the process), word has spread through the community regarding the financial aspects of the contract and a tremendous amount of confusion has been the result. As a result, members of the Ad Hoc Citizens' Advisory Committee, who have arranged for the performance contract to take place, investigating options and interviewing companies to do the work, are now working to get the correct information out to the public. One member of the committee, James F. Carney, has written a public letter attempting to explain the situation with the district's relationship with Johnson Controls. Carney writes, (as was already reported in the Jan. 1 issue of Garden City Life), "As a member of the Garden City School District's Building Committee and one of the individuals who evaluated the District's Energy Performance Contract Proposals, I would like to clarify some of the points of the project that were reported incorrectly" in other sources. He explains, "The energy performance contract being evaluated by the School Board consists of a project whereby the vendor selected by the district will perform a 'turn key' installation of new lighting fixtures throughout the district. The vendor, in this case Johnson Controls Inc. was selected as per the NYS School Education guidelines, after a competitive evaluation of several vendors that responded to the district's request for proposals issued in early 1999." Carney goes on to write, "Under this project, Johnson Controls will provide for the replacement and/or retrofit of approximately 5,600 lighting fixtures throughout all the classrooms, hallways and other educational areas throughout the district. Their work includes all the removals, disposals, coordination, etc. as required under a 'turn key' project. As a result of the work, the district will get a first class installation with uniform light levels and low maintenance lighting fixtures in all areas, especially those classrooms not slated for work under the current bond project." The confusion predominantly was centered on the issue of payment for the lighting work. As Garden City Life had explained, the contract would be financed and paid for by the district over a 10 year period with the promise by Johnson Controls that in the end the savings from the project in terms of electric bills would in a sense pay for the work. Carney further explains to correct misinformation spread that the work would be free, "To pay for this work, the district, not the vendor, finances this cost over a 10 year period with annual payments. The attractive point of this project is that the energy savings, in the form of lower LIPA bills, that result from installing the new energy efficient lighting fixtures offsets the district's costs for the finance payments. Over a period of 18 years, the savings that result from energy savings equals the entire cost of the project. The vendor, Johnson Controls, guarantees to the district the energy savings for the entire 18 year period. In our project, the guarantee is approximately $2.8 million over 18 years. If these savings are not achieved, Johnson Controls will write a check to the district to 'make the district whole.'" The savings from the project will not, as has been stated by others, be retained by Johnson Controls, but will belong to the district, as the district will be financing the project. Johnson Controls will cover the difference if the projected savings are not realized. Carney also explains, "This project was also attractive to the district because there was enough savings in energy resulting from the installation that the district's building committee was able to redirect all the new lighting in the Stewart and Stratford School renovations and new construction to this project. This results in a savings in excess of $400,000 in bond spending." At the most recent Board of Education meeting the Board approved the performance contract with Johnson Controls. Carney concludes his letter stating, "The Garden City Schools Building Committee, including the district's architect, construction manager, district staff and citizen members enthusiastically recommended this project to the School Board." Carney and leaders in the community have expressed that their goal right now is to explain the facts and clear up the misconceptions about the performance contracts. With all of the hard work by the Buildings Committee, they are naturally frustrated by the inaccurate information presented to the public and now being disseminated throughout the Village and are endeavoring now to ensure that their neighbors get the facts.