By Mark Scott
Buffalo, NY – State Comptroller Alan Hevesi says the Buffalo Joint School Construction Project complies with industry and State Education Department standards.
A ten year, $1 billion program is underway in Buffalo to reconstruct nearly all city schools. Nine schools were rebuilt in the project's first phase at a cost of $173.5 million.
"The school reconstruction project is something our entire community can be proud of because we worked together to rebuild schgools that our children and future generations can benefit from," Schools Superintendent James Williams said.
The project is being overseen by the Joint Schools Construction Board. LP Ciminelli is construction manager. Company spokesman Kevin Schuler said Hevesi's auditors found Phase One was completed on time and on budget.
"We think this is a clean bill of health," Schuler said. "He did point out some areas that need improvement -- some tightening of accountability. We appreciate that. We're going to work with the school district to make those improvements."
According to Hevesi's report, Ciminelli did not provide auditors with supporting documentation for approximately $24 million in expenditures, citing proprietary concerns. A construction consultant also found peeling paint at two of the rebuilt schools as well as some heating and ventilation problems. And, Hevesi said, more needs to be done to make sure the project meets its long-term diversity goals.
"The audit contained some extremely valuable guidance for areas of improvement," Mayor Byron Brown said. "We presented strategies for corrective action on many of the Comptroller's recommendations in early March and are already in the implementation stage with a number of them."