AUBURN - While some members of the Auburn Enlarged City School District Board of Education believe a capital project may be in the district's future to maintain its buildings, they are unsure if the state will agree given the current economic climate.

In a report to the board during its meeting Tuesday, Vice President and Chair of the Long Range Planning Committee Sam Giangreco said the committee is waiting for Gov. David Paterson's report on next year's budget, slated for Dec. 16, to see if the economy would support a proposed capital project, or even if the state will permit them in the immediate future.

During a meeting last week, the committee received a revised list of immediate priorities from Superintendent for Buildings and Grounds Larry Garuccio that may be incorporated into a future capital project with nearly all dealing exclusively with infrastructure.

Some tentative additions to the list include replacing the gymnasium floor at Seward Elementary and repairing some athletic fields that, over the course of use, have divots and hills that make playing dangerous, Giangreco said. These inclusions are contingent upon what information Paterson's report contains.

Giangreco stressed the value the community is placing on frugality, and is only considering items of immediate importance to the health, safety and welfare of students.

“We are whittling this down as much as we can,” he said of the list of priorities. “We are looking at every angle to see if we can save money for our taxpayers and keep our students safe.”

The committee has not chosen a date for its next meeting.

In other news:

#&149; In an unanimous vote, the proposed Public Information Policy, which specifies the district and the board's obligation to developing and maintaining accurate communication - supportive or critical of the district - with the public and the press, became board law.

The public policy committee, among other things, states the district superintendent is the spokesperson on district matters and the board president is the spokesperson on board matters, though both can also designate another district or board representative to be a spokesperson on issues when appropriate.

Additionally, board members, when questioned by reporters, should indicate that they are speaking as private citizens and not as board members unless empowered by the board to speak on its behalf.

Board member Joe Leogrande praised the policy committee for its work in revising the policy, which has been on the books for six years, and the embedded provision about contact with the press.

“It's just something I expressed to the policy committee and I'm glad they took my opinion and incorporated it into the policy,” he said.

#&149; The next board meeting is slated for 7 p.m. Jan. 13 at the Auburn High School library.

Staff writer Alyssa Sunkin can be reached at 253-5311 ext. 239 or alyssa.sunkin@lee.net