Letter from the Superintendent

December 11, 2007

Dear Parents and Community Members,

During the past school year, we were asked by the Department of Environmental Conservation to replace the old oil tanks at Monticello High School and Cooke, Chase, and Rutherford Elementary Schools. Though we have had each of the areas tested and have seen no sign of leakage, we are replacing the tanks to comply with New York State guidelines and to be environmentally friendly.

The State Education Department approved the request and over the weekend the very large oil tanks were delivered to Cooke, Rutherford and the high school. The last tank is scheduled to be delivered to Chase in the near future. Please note that we ordered all the tanks at once as a way to expedite the project and to control costs.

The current plan is to have the old tanks removed and the new ones installed at each school building starting with the high school, which is scheduled to be replaced during the winter recess. Though we hope to have all the tanks installed as soon as possible, it is important to understand that the weather can influence the timeline we have set.

We are working with the company that is doing the installations to be sure that the school day is not disrupted during the removal and replacement process. Also, our construction manager will be on-site at all times to make sure each installation complies with the State’s environmental guidelines.

Please contact my office at 794-7700 if you need further clarification or information.

Please enjoy the holiday.

Sincerely,
Dr. Patrick Michel
Superintendent of Schools

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