Hilltop Farms Civic Association Letter Cries Foul

Below is a Hilltop Civic Association letter that was sent to their members and to us. 

We will happily post any letters to the Editor as long as they do not contain profanity or personal attacks. Unlike our Town Board, we are interested in what you have to say. All letters must have verifiable contact information which will be withheld if requested. 

Update: The Greenburgh School Board voted to change the date of the $114.6 million capital bond project to March 19th. There will be no vote on February 12. 

Sent: 1/16/2019 10:35:25 AM Eastern Standard Time
Subject: Report on School Board Meeting 1.15.19

Dear Neighbors:
Last night was the first meeting held by the school board re the $114.6 million bond referendum.

I am proud to say it was well attended by our board. We seized the opportunity to address the board and share our views. Stuart commented about the failure to maintain the premises, while Jack and I renewed our request to postpone the vote until May, so proper studies can be done and the full information shared with the voters. This once again fell on deaf ears.

We were told that this has been in the plans for eight months. Six months ago, I personally invited Superintendent Chase to attend our annual meeting. After accepting our invitation, I was informed five minutes before the meeting that she will be unable to attend, and no further attempt was made by her or her board to reach out to us on this matter.

The meeting was poorly attended by the voting community. It appears that the folks most informed about this are the parents of the school children who are carrying home news of the upcoming referendum in their school packs. My estimate is there was probably seventy-five people at the meeting, thirty percent of which were school board members, teachers and parents of students.

It appears that the school board is making a meager attempt to reach the voting public at large. If only the parents of school children show up at the polls, you can be assured that this bond issue will pass.

Listening to the school board's presentation, my personal opinion is they have allowed the school properties to fall into disrepair, and are now using their failure to maintain the premises as the justification to tear down everything and start anew.

We were shown pictures of falling plaster and poor windows (Not a $100 million repair). Our superintendent mentioned that one child was burnt by sitting too close to a radiator. A gentleman from Poets Corner pointed out, if they were really that concerned, why wasn't there a $10 piece of insulation between the child and the radiator. We spend more per child than any school district in Westchester County, yet the school board can't seem to find money to maintain the premises.

Not only are they bent on replacing the existing buildings, but want to include items that you and I cannot afford to provide; i.e., meditation rooms, relaxation rooms, Mandarin classes, new track, and on and on. This all being done at the taxpayers' expense while ignoring the environmental impact, incomplete traffic studies, and total indifference to the pockets of those in our area who cannot afford another dollar tax-wise. As one person said last night, "I don't know what I'm voting for, and when I don't know what I'm voting for, I vote no."

We have 1800 children in the school district. That constitutes 1800 voters in favor of this bond.

I dare say that most of us live in homes much older than the school property, and we are not knocking them. We have made the sacrifices and maintained our property, something which the school board has not.

It is incumbent that we get the word out, not just in our community. If you have friends who will be impacted by this, reach out to them. Don't assume they know about it. This is really not being broadcast as it should be.

Please make an effort to attend at least one of the meetings and voice your opinion.
Next year when your tax bill is a few thousand dollars higher, we will have no one to blame by ourselves if we do not spread the word.

Thank you.
Blase Spinozzi, President
Hilltop Farms Civic Association