Town board discusses loss of old elementary school space

By NEAL RENTZ

It appears likely that the town will no longer be able to use the former Lewisboro Elementary School building which is located at 79 Bouton Road, South Salem, for town offices including the Lewisboro Police Department by the end of the year. (See related story on Page 1.)

Supervisor Tony Gonçalves and Councilwoman Andrea Rendo discussed the issue at the April 14 town board meeting.

“My issue has always been the sharing of information and transparency,” Rendo said.

Rendo said Gonçalves knew for several months that the rental agreement with the school district was not going to be renewed. Her first understanding that the school district did not want to renew came last August when school officials informed the town, she said. The contract had been a year-by-year agreement, but in August it became a month-to-month arrangement, she said. 

“That should have been an indication that they were not going to renew our lease,” she said. “We should have been dealing with this a long time ago.”A member of the Katonah-Lewisboro School District has said the district had no intention of selling the former elementary school property, Rendo said.

The Board of Education has indicated that the town’s Parks and Recreation Department will no longer have use of the property beginning in August and the property will no longer be rented to the town after Dec. 31, Rendo said. “We have nowhere to go and this is going to be a huge, huge cost,” she said.

The town’s rent does not cover the costs of keeping the building open and it would be cheaper to close it, Rendo said school officials have indicated. She added that the earliest the district would consider reopening the building is 2029 or 2030.The town board has been “poorly informed” about the ending of the contract with the school district, Rendo said. It is not possible to find an alternative site for town offices currently being housed in the former elementary school by the end of the year, she said.

Rendo said she wanted school district officials, particularly committee member Mike Lynch, to meet with the town board at the April 28 meeting.  Gonçalves agreed to the request from Rendo. “Mike and I have had some discussions,” he said.

Gonçalves told Rendo that the dates she mentioned “were not 100 percent correct.” 

In June 2024 he was informed that the cost of maintaining the former school was more expensive than the town’s rent, he said. Shortly after that, the town was told that the rental arrangement would come to an end, he said. Last week the town was told that the rental agreement would end Dec. 31, 2025. 

Gonçalves said he is scheduled to meet with Superintendent of Schools Raymond Blanch before Memorial Day.

Resident Glenn DeFaber sharply criticized how Gonçalves is handlining the town office situation. 

“There’s no long-range planning in Lewisboro,” he said. “Everything is rushed and decisions are made in haste.”

Bathhouse vote tie

Also at this week’s meeting, the town board failed to approve legislation to renovate the bathhouse at the town swimming pool.

With Councilwoman Mary Shah absent, the board voted 2-2 on the proposal for the timber frame bathhouse bid and funding. The $428,127 bid would have gone to Mid-Atlantic Timberframes. 

At the request of Councilman Richard Sklarin and Rendo, the board will be provided with a spreadsheet with a comparison of either borrowing for the cost of the project or funding it through money from the town’s fund balance.

The bid could be approved at the next board meeting, which is scheduled for Monday, April 28.

Police department request approved

Also at the meeting, the town board voted unanimously to approve amendments to Section 220 of the town code to regulate helipads.

The new town code language states: “The town finds that due to the proximity of the Westchester County Airport and the Danbury Airport, the landing of aircraft in the town is not required to serve the transportation needs of town residents.”

There are no limitations on landings and takeoffs of aircraft in situations such as emergencies. 

The new town code also states: “In the event there is a change in the ownership of the parcel or parcels upon which a helipad special permit use approval is in effect, said special permit use approval shall automatically expire. A different owner must file a new application and obtain approval for use of an existing helipad.”“In order to qualify, you need more than 50 acres,” for a special use permit, Police Chief David Alfano said.

One-person aircraft are becoming more affordable, Alfano said. “Evolution is upon us and I’d like to get ahead of this,” Alfano added. 

Police department donation 

In another matter related to the police department, the town board accepted a donation from resident Adam Rose.

The board accepted Rose’s donation of $50,000 for the planning and design services for a new police headquarters. 

This week’s meeting was the second town board meeting in a row in which Rose made a donation for the police department. 

At the March 24 meeting, the board accepted a $17,000 donation from Rose, which will be used to obtain new badges, including the die cutting needed to create the engraved badges for members of the department. 

Supervisor Tony Gonçalves, left, presented a town board proclamation to retired Police Chief Frank Secret at the April 14 meeting. Photo courtesy Police Chief David Alfano

Former police chief honored 

Also at the meeting, the board honored former Police Chief Frank Secret with a proclamation, which was read by Rendo: “Frank Secret’s career with the Town of Lewisboro has spanned an extraordinary period of dedication, service, and commitment to the safety and well-being of the community,” Rendo said.

In April 1982, Secret was hired as a part-time police officer, “beginning a career that would span decades of service, culminating in his promotion to chief of police in 2009,” Rendo noted. As a part-time police officer, he also contributed to the maintenance and highway departments.

Secret became a full-time officer Jan. 1, 2001, and served with distinction, the proclamation stated.

“Frank’s leadership was instrumental in making Lewisboro the ‘Safest Small Town,’ a testament to his dedication to the safety and security of all residents,” Rendo said, reading from the proclamation. 

Secret was honored with the Lifesaving Award from Westchester County EMS on July 2, 1995, for saving the life of a heart attack victim, the proclamation stated. Service was “showcasing his bravery, quick thinking, and selflessness,” Rendo said.

Secret thanked the town board, saying, “It’s been great.”