"We have spent about $2 million for this year on our buildings and our property, allocated from the school board," School District Consultant David Kincaid reported at the recent Great Neck Public Schools Board of Education meeting. Mr. Kincaid presented a report on the district's physical properties, explaining that much of the work must be completed during the 10-week summer vacation period.

"We did just about all of the capital projects," he said. Larger items, "outside of the school's envelope," have not all seen completion as yet.

New stairs and a walkway were completed at Great Neck North High School and a field house has not yet been finished. At the John F. Kennedy Elementary School, work was done on a roof and garage.

Mr. Kincaid said that this school year there will be another formal engineering evaluation of the buildings and the survey will begin soon. Preliminary information from the individual schools has already begun to flow in. All of this, these evaluations, he said, are required by New York State law, every five years.

Additionally, Mr. Kincaid addressed work on the fencing for two large sump areas on the South campus. The fencing had deteriorated and had become, according to Mr. Kincaid, "a potential hazard" for the students. With the help of New York State Assemblyman Thomas P. DiNapoli, the district was able to connect with the New York State Department of Transportation, and new fencing is now in place.

Mr. Kincaid also reported on the Lockheed-Martin water treatment issue. Meetings are anticipated during this month.

As for the district's "healthy clean program," Mr. Kincaid spoke of reducing the volatiles in the buildings, reducing the use of petrochemicals. Later in the evening, board of education trustee Fran Langsner noted that, with a fairly new petrochemical policy in place, the school district was actually ahead of the curve. The state now has requirements (standards) already addressed in the school district's policy.

Mr. Kincaid also reported that the "geese problem" has been "dealt with." Other issues he touched on included asbestos and pesticide notification.

"It has been a good year," Mr. Kincaid stated. "All the projects will be completed in the next few months."

As Mr. Kincaid concluded his statements, board of education Vice President Judi Bosworth said that "the buildings are so well taken care of, so environmentally safe."