January 19, 2017
New York

Walbridge appointed as interim superintendent at Parishville-Hopkinton school

By MATT LINDSEY | North Country Now | January 18, 2017 | northcountrynow.com

PARISHVILLE – The Parishville-Hopkinton Central School Board of Education appointed Wayne Walbridge as the interim superintendent at a meeting Tuesday night.

Walbridge will begin Feb. 13 and assume the role until the end of the school year in June, said outgoing Superintendent Darin P. Saiff.

Walbridge has experience as a teacher, athletic director, principal and superintendent at several North Country schools. He filled in for a time at Potsdam Central last year as the elementary principal while PCS searched for a permanent hire.

“I think he will do well and will be an excellent fit,” Saiff said about Walbridge.

Walbridge will be paid a per diem rate of $600 per day.

Saiff said the Board of Education will work with St. Lawrence-Lewis BOCES School Superintendent Tom Burns during the hiring process.

Burns attended last night’s meeting to introduce Walbridge to the BOE and begin preliminary talks about hiring parameters.

Also at the meeting, representatives of the Concerned Citizens for Rural Preservation spoke during the public comment period about the proposed wind power farms.

The company that hopes to build a wind power farm in Parishville and Hopkinton has dozens of signed leases from property owners to allow the windmills – as high as 500 feet tall from the bases to the blade tips – on their land.

And the company says it probably will be asking the two towns, the Parishville-Hopkinton School District, and St. Lawrence County to allow the company to make payments in lieu of taxes, or PILOTs.

If so, each of those entities will have to decide, one by one, if they will grant those tax breaks.

Saiff said a man from Chateaugay who lives near wind towers spoke of his physical ailments and anxiety he claims is a result of the wind turbines. A local nurse presented health concerns she has for children in the area.

Saiff said the school has “no stance at this point.”

“We want to collect as much info as possible and be well informed,” he said.

The BOE also accepted the resignation of bus driver Calvan Thomas. Thomas was replaced by James Miller who was approved to the position by the board at the meeting.

URL to article:  https://www.wind-watch.org/news/2017/01/19/walbridge-appointed-as-interim-superintendent-at-parishville-hopkinton-school/