The Sag Harbor School Board voted during a special meeting on July 2 to spend $341,000 to construct a new retaining wall behind the Sag Harbor Learning Center. The much-debated wall is expected to be the final major construction hurdle needed before the school district can open its new facility at the former Stella Maris Regional School, which is already at least $2 million over budget, in September.
The final price, including about $319,000 for the wall and $22,000 to add on related components, was higher than the estimate of $200,000 the district had initially received from its architect. Sag Harbor has now hired a new architectural firm, H2M, to manage the retaining wall project. Construction was slated to start late last week.
Jeff Nichols, the district superintendent, had expressed "surprise and displeasure" that the project's most recent cost proposals from contractors — which stretched upward of $456,000 — were so far over the initial estimate. "We're on a pretty tight timeline," he said. "If we want to use this building in September . . . my recommendation is that we move forward."
After discussing the details in an executive session, the board's affirmative vote was 4 to 0, with one of the board members, Chris Tice, abstaining. Alex Kriegsman was not present for the remote meeting. Brian DeSesa, who was recently elected school board president, has abstained from the retaining wall discussions since they began several months ago.