After expressing concerns about the number of change orders that had been coming through for the Ames project, the Massapequa Board of Education voted 3-2 against a resolution for a change order to replace the lockers at Massapequa High School-Ames Campus. Concern was expressed at the Aug. 5 school board meeting, because those lockers had already been removed.

The issue was raised when Alan Adcock, business administrator for the district, read three change order items for Ames. The first of these change orders was for additional asbestos removal, the second was to replace the boys and girls lockers in the locker and team rooms, and the third change order was for additional air ventilation and heating services. Adcock explained that the Ames committee went to the building a couple of months ago and noticed that the lockers were in a bad state of disrepair and a decision was made to replace those lockers.

Carla DeSimone, of the Ames Committee, responded to Adcock's remarks, stating, "It made it sound like the committee requested that the lockers be ripped out. The only thing that the committee requested was an elevator. We didn't request the lockers be ripped out- I was a little surprised that they needed to be ripped out instead of just refurbished or repainted. There was some issue on the size of them since the kids carry these gigantic backpacks but I think, personally, other arrangements could have been made for their backpacks. They didn't need to be in a locker, but that's another issue, but the committee did not recommend them ripping out all the lockers. I personally thought that was a waste of money in the project.That's a lot of money for lockers that could have been painted, I thought."

Board Vice President Diane Krakoff stated, "I am experiencing great concern with the number of change orders that are coming through...The lockers we should have known about." Despite the large number of change orders that the board has been asked to approve, Adcock assured the board that the Ames project was still under budget.

Many concerns were raised about why the change order for the lockers was brought to the board after the lockers had already been removed. The board has given permission to the district to put together change orders that were less than $50,000 without board approval, just administration's approval. The change order for the lockers was originally stated, at the meeting, to be $51,450. When questioned about why a change order over $50,000 had gone through, administration members told the board that the change order actually had three separate parts, with the lockers only costing $39,340, thus not needing approval. Armand Markarian, district engineer, told the board that the three separate parts of the one change order happened at different times which is why it was divided into those parts.

Board President Christine Nottonson stated, "We're getting two different stories here. One story is that we had three separate ones under 50 and the other one is you have Change Order 2, for $51,500." The board said that they were confused about why, if it was under $50,000 it was being brought before them to approve at this point. Trustee Robert Thompson suggested that they remove the lockers from the change order. Superintendent Dr. Lawrence Pereira responded, "Why would you do that? These should have never come to you, I would suggest you just move it forward, we'll allow this signature, we will talk to the architectural firm and make sure that this does not happen again. If you don't, then we have to go back to the architect and redo this change order which really, I don't know what's involved in that, because it's money being given to one particular contractor, so there's no harm done by you approving it. What I'll tell you is, we just won't let this happen again."

It was following these comments that the board voted on the motion. It was not approved, with three board members voting no. Nottonson stated, "I'll tell you, this is why I'm voting no- I'm not comfortable with this process. I'm signing documents that are being put in front of me, they're telling me they're okay to sign, I'm very uncomfortable that our accounting isn't working, isn't being reconciled and at the rate of our change orders and the amount that they're totaling, it's making me extremely anxious and that's why I'm voting no, because my name is on that document, I'm very uncomfortable."

Thompson pointed out that the problem with the board voting against the change order was that somewhere along the line a member of administration had already approved it and the lockers are gone.

Board member Arlene Martin stated, "I'm voting no because I can't vote on a resolution where you've already gone and done the work...it's meaningless."

Nottonson added, "Maybe right now this is the message that we have to send everybody else before we get into phase two of this operation, where the bulk of our money is going to sit, that includes Wiedersum [architects], that includes Turner [construction company], that includes the staff as we have, had it, will have it, to be, whatever..."

While the board made this decision to make a point to administration and the architects and construction company, parents of students who will be attending Ames in the fall expressed concern over what would happen now. Desimone stated, "You voted no on the locker resolution, the lockers are gone....what are the girls going to do when they get there and there are no lockers?"

District Attorney Richard J. Guercio responded, "The board just wants clarification before they approve it. The board will be free to re-address item or find that no further board action is necessary."

Nottonson stated, "At this point we are not canceling that order [for new lockers]."

Robert Schilling, administrative assistant for the district stated, in an interview following the meeting that the board may revisit the issue of approval for change orders under $50,000 but that as far as the lockers go something will be done. "This is more of a case where we, Mr. Markarian and Turner Construction have to re-evaluate the way they do that sort of thing. It will be taken care of in the way that the students are not going to be left just standing in an empty room- I know that is a concern."