County-Proposed Early Learning Center Debated
- hollytoal
- May 27
- 4 min read
By Holly Crocco
While County Executive Kevin Byrne has been eagerly promoting the county’s ThinkDIFFERENTLY initiative and even announcing a potential future site for an early learning center for kids in pre-kindergarten with and without disabilities at Hudson Valley InterArts in Patterson, some legislators are asking the administration to slow down its planning so more questions can be asked and locations can be vetted.
“There’s a lot of information that has not flowed to the Legislature,” said Legislator Greg Ellner, R-Carmel, at the county’s May 19 Physical Services Committee meeting. Since the topic was not on the meeting agenda, with Ellner only addressing the topic in a “chairman’s report,” the matter could not be addressed in public comment.
Ellner’s refusal to add the item to the agenda seemed to be on principal.
“I wanted the information and I was denied it,” he claimed. “Questions that would have been asked had this meeting taken place were: what was your evaluation criteria for the location that you chose? What were (the other) locations? There’s information needed so that we can make an informed decision.”
Ellner said it’s not the program concept he has a problem with, but the fact that a specific location is seemingly being fast-tracked when there could be other locations that may cost less and take less time to build out.
“I am so much in favor of this, from having an autistic child,” he said. “To me, the critical things would be to get this going now… If we have an alternative solution that allows us to start in the 2025 school year, why shouldn’t we do it?”
During the county’s Health Committee meeting, which took place immediately after the Physical Services Committee meeting, the county executive asked for the topic to be added to the agenda so it could be addressed – since time is of the essence, with parents needing to know what options they have for their children in the fall.
“No legislator has been blocked access to these department heads,” said Byrne, rebutting Ellner’s previous comments. “Absolutely outrageous, false accusations were made… No one has denied anything from you.”
After some back-and-forth, legislators reopened the Health Committee meeting and added the topic of the early learning center to the agenda so it could be discussed.
According to Bill Orr, senior fiscal manager of the county’s health department, a five-year lease has been drawn up in which the county would pay $15 per square foot to rent space at InterArts. That is in addition to $1.5 million to build out the space, with the county covering 65 percent of that over the course of the lease.
Currently, there are about 12 kids with special needs expected to attend the center, with more than 20 traditional learning students. There are 115 kids in total enrolled in the county’s center-based program.
Since it is an inclusive program, each class of about 18 students would include five to six kids with special needs, with the rest being traditional learning students, per New York State standards.
Currently, many Putnam youth endure long bus rides to receive early intervention and pre-kindergarten services outside the county.
Shanna Seigel, supervising public health educator, said the health department is hoping for the Legislature to pass resolution in support of the program, regardless of the location, so that it can continue to look at all the options available.
“You come with a single sheet of paper asking to authorize $1.5 million, and we have a lease – and the lease is fairly complex – and the lease says, well if it costs more the rent goes up,” he said. “I need full interpretation from the law department.”
Will the county be responsible for utilities, or purchasing and installing whiteboards? “These are the things that I wanted before we had this meeting, so all the parents would know that we’re doing a fair and true evaluation. And how long is it truly going to take?”
Further, Ellner expressed concern that a decision is being made as to how many kids can be served based on what one location can accommodate. “How quickly can we get into a site that can accommodate 100 percent of the children in September?” he asked. “I have no problem with the resolution. I have a problem with locking into the location at this time.”
Legislator Erin Crowley, R-Mahopac, said a resolution needs to be passed to allow the department heads to move forward with planning. “So they’re stuck,” she said.
John Tully, director of the purchasing department, said there has been overwhelming support by the school districts, county employees, and service providers that saw the InterArts site, which has what is needed in this “pilot stage” of the program to offer early intervention, pre-kindergarten services in that area of the county.
“That’s where the conversation starts,” he said. “The county executive wouldn’t let us stop the conversation there. Once the proof of concept is proven to work… I’m sure Valerie (Kurtz, supervisor of early intervention and pre-kindergarten) will be looking at other facilities that make as much sense.”
Legislator Amy Sayegh, R-Mahopac Falls, asked, “Is it detrimental to the program if we discuss this and pass it in June (as opposed to that night)?”
“Parents need to make decisions to plan,” answered Byrne.
“Do you really think that building can be done in September?” asked Legislator Toni Addonizio, R-Kent. “I don’t… There’s just no way. It’s three months.”
Siegel said that if the space isn’t ready for kids until December, they can start at a different program in September and move over when the space is ready.
Megan Cedar Williams is a member of the Carmel Central School District Special Education Parent-Teacher Association who spoke during public comment.
“It is integral for everybody to understand that for our children to even be able to begin to be on the same realm of their peers by 5 years old, they need these services – they need huge services,” she said. “It is disgusting and deplorable that you can go to Westchester and have these services easily because they have more money in their pockets and that families are trying to figure out how they can afford to go just 25 minutes away to get those services for their kids.”
Katie Yanitelli of Garrison agreed.
“There are kids right now whose lives could potentially be affected forever by what you guys do,” she said.
The topic was added to the agenda for the Audit Committee meeting May 22.
Comments