By Stephanie Mariel Petrellese

The Garden City Board of Trustees, in a 6 to 2 vote, approved a contract extension up to $60,000 with K. Backus & Associates, who has been working with the Mayor's Committee on St. Paul's concerning the future of the historic main building.

Trustee Donald Brudie was the main dissenter at the May 22nd Board of Trustees meeting, arguing that Backus' firm has already rendered its services and is no longer needed. He believes it is a duplication of services to continue with Backus since the Village is currently working with Greenwich Group International Inc., a separate financial consultant. Trustee John Watras voted against the extension because he said he was discouraged with the progress made on St. Paul's, saying the Village keeps "throwing money at it."

The Village has already paid her firm a total of $313,062.12. The extension would allow the Village to pay her an hourly rate for additional work, not to exceed $60,000. Trustee Gerard Lundquist said he did not think the entire sum would be expended.

Second Deputy Mayor Thomas Lamberti, who serves as chairman of the Mayor's Committee on St. Paul's, was adamant that the extension be granted. "If the services of Backus are over, the project is over. It's that simple," he said.

Lamberti said he would step down as chairman if her contract was not extended since she has essentially served as the manager from the project's early stages. Greenwich Group is evaluating AvalonBay's proposal solely from a financial perspective. Backus' firm does not specialize in this type of work.

Acknowledging that the Village does not "have the best record" when it comes to construction projects, Trustee Robert Rothschild said this is probably the largest project the Village will ever be involved with. "It is not something to be left to non-professionals in that field," he said. "It appears to be a lot of money...but in the scope of this project, it is something that is absolutely necessary."