The Syosset Central School District Board of Education voted to authorize emergency electrical repairs and upgrades at Walt Whitman Elementary School to replace failing underground transmission lines and restore reliable power ahead of the fall semester. Doctor Rogers discussed the need to accelerate contracting under the state’s emergency process so work can begin immediately.
The decision matters because students were relocated from Whitman near the end of the prior school year after a power outage, and district staff said the underground transmission lines that feed the building must be removed and replaced to ensure a safe reopening. The board approved expedited contracting that also shortens state approvals, the district said.
District staff told the board they obtained multiple quotes and selected a contractor with prior work experience in the district and available crew capacity. Doctor Rogers said the district will pursue the emergency process “to get this done in time for the start of school” and that, should construction encounter unexpected problems, the district will contract for a whole‑building generator to provide power until repairs are complete.
While using the emergency procurement path, Rogers emphasized the district’s obligation to secure “the best value possible” and said multiple reputable electricians were solicited. Rogers also said some of the required underground work had been planned previously as part of building upgrades connected to a classroom addition and gym work, and the failure accelerated that timeline.
The district said it is already coordinating with PSC and G because those entities “will have to be involved in this project as well because of its scope.” If the board’s authorization is executed, Rogers said work could begin as soon as the following day. The transcript does not provide a dollar estimate for the Whitman repairs.