Aug 29, 2002 By April Straughters 4 min read

BROWNSVILLE – The Brownsville School District’s board of directors tabled all motions concerning the districts high school/middle school renovation project after complaints from members of the public during a special meeting Wednesday slated specifically to take action on the project. District residents, who filled the small meeting room at the former Hiller Elementary School, were not happy and expressed their concerns mainly over issues concerning use of the Redstone Middle School gymnasium, which has been denied to the middle school girls basketball team and the Holy Rosary School.

Board members had been prepared to choose one of five options of a feasibility study presented by Michael Molnar Associates Architects earlier this month, which include the possibility of closing the Redstone Middle School gymnasium or continue operation with the installation of a new heating system. But after questions and complaints from local residents the board decided to table all motion concerning the renovation project.

The two-hour meeting, which included a 45-minute executive session, was dominated by complaints from the public that also included concerns over usage of district’s football stadium and practice fields, a proposed elementary school complex, and at times, small turf-war debates between Redstone Township and Brownsville residents/board members.

Discussion of the feasibility study options was limited. Director John Evans briefly read through the options and Molnar attempted to introduce a fifth option that includes modernization to the high school/middles school at $17.9 million, construction of a new elementary school complex at $15.5 million and the closing of the Redstone Middle School gymnasium.

Residents grew frustrated at the mention of the five options because they were not aware of what the options included. Board members seemed a little unsure of their own preferred options as they attempted to explain.

“I don’t think the board is prepared to vote on these issues,” said the Rev. Robert Spence, a district resident. “I don’t think this is a time to take a shot form the hip. …This is the first time tonight the community has been able to hear these options. What I would suggest is to table this and take time to have hear from the community.”

President Andy Dorsey said, “I think we’re close to knowing what every board member wants.”

Board member Stella Broadwater said the reason residents don’t know the options is because they only attend meetings when issues that concern them come up and not regular meetings, particularly regular buildings and grounds meetings that have taken place to review these issues.

Resident Nena Kaminsky agreed that the board was not prepared to vote on the issues.

“How can you vote? You didn’t have a plan when you closed Redstone (school) and that didn’t work. Now you want to go with an option when you don’t’ know what’s going on. You don’t know how much money you get. You are talking about building an (elementary) complex, which is going to cost the tax payers money down the road and you only have $10 million in reserve,” Kaminsky said.

Broadwater said the board has to act on these issues because of the condition of the schools is affecting students’ education.

“We are in a crunch situation. We are not in compliance,” she said, noting that art and science rooms do not have running water. “I will not, as a board member, see those students, those teachers endure those same conditions this year. These children did not get the education they should have got (last year).”

Broadwater was speaking on overcrowding at the high school/middle school caused by the closing of Redstone Elementary School.

Board member Francine Pavone said the district should just concentrate on the high school/middle school project right now instead of an elementary school complex, which a number of residents opposed during public comment.

But Broadwater said the elementary school complex is a part of a larger project to present to the state in order to get a larger reimbursement.

The board agreed to hold a buildings and grounds committee meeting on Wednesday, Sept. 4, at 6 p.m.