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<p>WILKES-BARRE &#8212; One attorney paints a picture of doom if school building design plans are made public: Poisoning of the air or water, the planting of bombs by support beams for maximum damage, clandestine drug deals or sexual encounters where security cameras do not peer.</p><p>Another attorney dismisses those arguments as &#8220;absurd,&#8221; &#8220;bizarre&#8221; and &#8220;disingenuous,&#8221; contending withholding plans for the publicly-funded buildings &#8220;cannot be legally sustained.&#8221;</p><p>In two filings with the state Office of Open Records, Wilkes-Barre Area School District Solicitor Ray Wendolowski and Attorney Kimberly Borland sparred over whether the district can legally deny Borland&#8217;s request to see design plans for a proposed new high school and the recently renovated Mackin Elementary building.</p><p>Borland, who has voiced opposition to the way the school board handled the decision-making process resulting in plans for a new, consolidated high school, requested the design plans Dec. 2. The district denied that request Dec. 9 and Borland has appealed to the OOR.</p><p>Bolstered by affidavits from district Security Director Brian Lavan and architect Kyle Kinsman, Wendolowski&#8217;s filing in response to that appeal starts sounding like the script to a harrowing disaster movie.</p><p>Releasing the plans, he argues, would make it easier for those plotting havoc in the building as attackers could map entry and exit, defeat safety alarms and security cameras, &#8220;pre-position supplies and weapons,&#8221; and &#8220;mount an attack on the ventilation&#8221; or on &#8220;flammable fuel storage locations.&#8221;</p><p>In a letter sent as a quick response to the filing, Borland asks for 20 days to compose a complete answer, seeks a hearing to challenge the affidavits and blasts them as &#8220;conclusory,&#8221; saying they lack proof that releasing the plans would pose any danger.</p><p>Borland argues the law requires the district to prove making the plans public &#8220;would be reasonably likely to result in a substantial and demonstrable risk of physical harm to or the personal security of an individual.&#8221;</p><p>The district&#8217;s arguments and the affidavits, he says, &#8220;utterly fail to demonstrate with data or any evidence whatsoever&#8221; that risk exists.</p><p>Noting plans for district schools have been made public and that &#8220;Meyers (High School) floor plans are posted throughout the school and freely distributed to visitors, as are floor plans for Kistler Elementary,&#8221; Borland calls the district&#8217;s argument &#8220;disingenuous.&#8221;</p><p>&#8220;Either the district wishes to put Meyers and Kistler students at risk,&#8221; Borland wrote, &#8220;or it is insincere in its present position. Insincerity is more &#8216;reasonably likely&#8217;.&#8221;</p><style>
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<div class="neCaption">Borland </div></div><div class="metaInfo"><photo0>https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/03/web1_Borland-Kim.jpeg</photo0><caption0>Borland </caption0><photoCredit0></photoCredit0></div><div class="neFile"><img class="neImage" src="https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/03/web1_Wendolowski-Ray.jpg">
<div class="neCaption">Wendolowski </div></div><div class="metaInfo"><photo1>https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/03/web1_Wendolowski-Ray.jpg</photo1><caption1>Wendolowski </caption1><photoCredit1></photoCredit1></div></div>
<div class="metaInfo"><bylineMeta><p>By Mark Guydish</p><p>mguydish@www.timesleader.com</p></bylineMeta></div><div class="metaInfo"><shirttailMeta><p>Reach Mark Guydish at 570-991-6112 or on Twitter @TLMarkGuydish</p></shirttailMeta></div>

Attorneys duel over release of W-B Area school building plans