The Sewanhaka school board responded to complaints about the district’s construction projects at its Oct. 27 meeting.
During the meeting’s public comment period, district resident John Talbot said the district’s recent renovation projects left a layer of dirt on his property.
“My house is filthy, my cars are filthy,” Talbot said. “All summer long I had to deal with this. I cannot keep the filth off my cars, I cannot keep the filth off of my house. It’s embarrassing. My house is covered in dirt because of the construction.”
Talbot lives near the entrance to the construction zone at H. Frank Carey High School in Franklin Square, where the district has been working on roof replacements, asbestos abatement and new a football field and track.
His complaints also included a lack of cleanliness, improper care of the surrounding streets, construction starting earlier than stated and damage to his gutter and home’s outside wiring – which he called a “thorn in (his) side.”
The work is part of the second phase of an $86.6 million bond initiative to improve the aging school buildings.
Despite multiple phone calls to Sewanhaka school Superintendent Ralph Ferrie, to express his concerns, Talbot said, the issue is still ongoing.
Ferrie said the district talked with the construction company working on the projects each time he heard from Talbot.
After the meeting ended Tuesday, Ferrie and other board members met with Talbot to discuss a time for the board to visit his home and assess the situation, and how to move forward in clearing up the issue.
“That thorn in your side will be rectified,” Ferrie said.
