CATO - The Cato-Meridian Central School District will be paying its capital project site contractor a good deal less than it anticipated for work on the campus's various game fields.

Following an executive session with architect Daniel Fay early in its regular meeting Monday night, members approved two motions: one for a $12,630 credit and another to reduce the amount it had retained for its contract with Paul Vitale, Inc. for partial work on an overall $15.2 million capital project begun in the summer of 2004.

The board approved reducing the retainage amount for Vitale to $30,317.33 from $100,000.

Both motions passed 4-3.

The district had originally contracted with Vitale to provide materials for and complete work on a series of game fields, including the field hockey field. After a series of unforeseen stalls, members decided to go in another direction. Last summer with board approval, the school district took on completion of the field hockey field, with support from the county and donated services. Member Dean Cummins donated topsoil for the project.

Teitsch, Kent and Fay is the architecture firm overseeing the ongoing project. Partner Dan Fay has updated members on the status of work over the course of the contract. Last summer and over several meetings, members began expressing frustration with a series of potentially costly miscommunications between the firm, contractors and the district. Monday night was no exception, with Cummins telling Fay the bleachers in the high school gym offered less seating than the board had envisioned when it paid for the work.

Fay explained that new handicapped-accessible seats and railings took up space that bleachers might otherwise occupy. He said he'd advised members about that likelihood early on. Still, co-vice president Michael Lees validated Cummins' complaints.

“It looked like an additional expense that we didn't need,” he said.

The district is looking to put another capital improvement project out to a vote by mid-March.

In other news:

* Members approved a contract with West New York Floors to resurface the high school gym, at a cost of $19,230. The company will begin work on the project this summer.

* The board will begin carving out its mission statement and a series of stated goals for the year. Lees queried members about their interest clarifying the board's focus, potentially with a facilitator from BOCES. Members agreed to brainstorm priorities during future meetings first.

Staff writer Olivia Goldberg can be reached at 253-5311, ext. 235, or at olivia.goldberg@lee.net