Breslin Changes Careers, Reflects On School Board Service

After nine years on the Katonah-Lewisboro school board—and 29 years as a local resident—Peter Breslin is making some big changes.

The former employee benefits specialist is now a financial representative in the city of White Plains with Wunder Financial, a small financial planning practice housed within Northwestern Mutual. His Vista home is now on the market, and he and his wife Liza plan to move there.

Patch caught up with Breslin and to ask him about his new job and his time with Katonah Lewisboro schools, before he steps down from the board in June.

Patch: Tell us about your professional changes you've made—why shift gears now?

Bresin: I spent 23 years as a consulting actuary; I worked on employee benefits plans—mainly pension defined contribution and retiree plans—and certainly that landscape is changing. I've always been interested in financial planning and it seemed like the right time to do it. I have been working on all of the designations—Certified Financial Planner, Series 7 and 66 exams—and moved to WunderFinancial. I like it because it's a small planning practice, we do investment management and comprehensive planning, and retirement, education and estate planning. We're serving clients in Fairfield and Westchester counties.

Patch: You had a lot of expertise to contribute to the school board.

Breslin: And I'll continue to stay involved on the periphery. But the district has a great consultant and the skills of Mike Jumper [assistant superintendent for business] who has a good grasp on the issues. And there will always be new expertise from the community and new board members who will bring new skills to the table.

Patch: You were on the finance committee, right?

Breslin: Yes—I'm a past board president, and I served on the audit committee and was its first chairman, and I served on finance. We started the ball rolling with the per-pupil spending analysis that's going on now. We have terrific community involvement—tremendous people with great expertise, the caliber is just amazing and people work so hard. 

Patch: What do you think your contributions to the board were?

Breslin: I think I helped bring civility to the board after some tough times. I'm proud of my role in the AP Farm Fields project, hiring Paul Kreutzer, and helping the district get on the right financial track after our comptroller's investigation. 

Patch: In nine years you've seen enrollment declines, state funding declines, contentious labor relations, more curriculum mandates...have any changes tested your faith in public education?

Breslin: I'd say my faith is being tested now. Some of these issues make it hard to focus on what we are elected to do. I'm worried about the future of our district—will the community pass budgets? 

Patch: Is the tax cap hurting public education?

Breslin: When the governor brought it in, there was a big promise of mandate reform. There was a governor's commission set up, but it's had no teeth, no action. The district can't afford our pension plans—which used to be 2-3 percent of our payroll, now it's 18 percent—and certainly the Triborough Amendment makes things difficult. Though we're working on our health care costs, crafting education budgets is tough and next year will be especially so. 

Patch: What's your take on the Common Core standards?

Breslin: I understand the need for these standards but I'm concerned we'll get distracted on standards that are not necessarily pertinent to our student population. We want to also focus beyond them—on advancement, acceleration and differentiation. Th Common Core makes it tough for that.

Patch: How is the current board working together? What will you miss about serving on it?

Breslin: It's good, it's dynamic with new viewpoints and fresh persepective. Pretty much what you see at meetings is what happens behind closed doors—we're civil, it's a good group. I'll miss the personal relationships. But if I were to run again, I don't think I'd win, people get sick of you. And it's good to bring in new blood. 

Patch: And after almost 30 years in Vista you're moving to the city of White Plains?

Breslin: Yes, we had a big house, 3 kids and dogs, but our son Jacob is away at Penn State, Sam is working at Virgin Records and Jason is in an assisted living situation in White Plains. So I'll be closer to work, and Liza and I will be closer to him. So we're planning a move. Life changes.