Charge:
school officials lied

Candidate asks the Board of Regents to withhold building aid

By TOM KANE

CALLICOON — School board candidate Arthur Norden has accused school officials—administration and school board members—of deceiving voters in presenting the new budget.

“Some seven million dollars is hidden in the budget in order to make payment for the present renovations and construction,” Norden said in a May 14 interview.

Earlier this year, Norden took his case to the state educational system by asking that building aid be withheld from the district. In a January letter to the State Board of Regents, Norden wrote, “Clearly our school district has no need for all of this state-aided construction which includes the complete renovation of our existing K-12’s as K-6’s and a new 1,345,000-square-foot high school which is going out to bid this month [January]”.

Norden accuses school officials of hiding the true cost of the renovation project in the three buildings in the merged district and the site work done in preparation for the construction of the new high school.

Norden’s accusation was denied by superintendent of schools Michael Johndrow.

“I categorically deny there is any such hidden money in the budget or anywhere else,” Johndrow said. “I don’t know where Mr. Norden gets his information. It certainly isn’t from us or from the State Education Department.”

Voters go to the polls on May 21 to adopt or reject the proposed $25,247,590 budget for school year 2002-2003 and to elect school board members.

Norden who, with Linda Pomes, is challenging board member Donna Sauer-Jones, said, if elected, he will attempt to persuade board members to face the real costs and own up to the voters.

“I am not against the renovation project or the new high school construction since these are contracted obligations, but we should not have been deceived as we were,” he said.

Norden claims that, unknown to voters, the administration has been “stockpiling” seven million dollars to make payments on the construction and said this has an adverse effect on the current budget.

Norden urges that the new board, which will be formed with the election of three members including himself, divulge with accuracy where the money is and how it’s spent.

“The budget process is transparent and done in the open for all to see,” Johndrow said.