Despite some grumbling, local schools districts have agreed—by formal vote or general consensus—to help pay for some $19 million in repairs at Putnam/Northern Westchester BOCES in Yorktown.

Bedford Central's school board voted Wednesday to ante roughly $2 million as its share of the capital-improvement project while Katonah-Lewisboro, on the hook for almost $1.5 million, is expected to follow suit next month. Neither board agreed to its appropriation quietly, but both recognized the alternative: a more costly bill down the road for emergency repairs.

In Bedford, board members were critical, given the district's own fiscal needs, of being asked to share the cost of BOCES’ repairs.

In Katonah-Lewisboro, board members complained, by turns, that BOCES had asked for too much money, had asked for too little or, in either case, had not worked hard enough to justify the sum it was requesting. In the end, however, while no formal vote was taken, board member Michael Gordon appeared to express the consensus view, saying, “I believe we have an obligation to participate.” 

BOCES—the Board of Cooperative Educational Services—comprises 18 northern Westchester and Putnam school districts. One of 37 such regional entities statewide, they share programs of special education, vocational training and online learning, as well as technical and support services. The school districts collectively own BOCES’ facilities.

Since it is not a taxing entity, BOCES needs the approval of all 18 school boards before the project can proceed. It has asked the districts to complete their voting by January. The requested capital improvements include $2,950,000 to fix a therapeutic pool, $8,700,000 for HVAC work across seven buildings and $5,190,000 for roof repairs.

Looking at those numbers for such an extensive project, Katonah-Lewisboro board member Peter Breslin said, “My concern is not that they’re asking for too much money but that they’re asking for too little.”

But a fellow member, Warren Schloat, said, “I’d hate to see our money go over to BOCES and then our boiler goes down. . . . They’re screaming wolf,” he said, “[but] is it really wolf?”

The board’s president, Mark Lipton, urged approval of BOCES’ requested amount next month, saying any project improvements, if needed, could be considered separately later.

The vice president, Janet Harckham, said board members have “worked exceedingly hard,” to account for district spending. “I’m angry they haven’t,” she said of BOCES officials.