Residents question school board on building of new school
MAPLETOWN – Although Southeastern Greene school board members tabled a motion to launch a survey for a proposed K-12 school, residents were armed with questions at the board’s regular meeting Wednesday. “Why are we building this school?” resident Gary Yaskovich asked the board. “Who told you this is what we have to do?
“I want some answers before you guys start spending my money.”
The board members did not have a ready answer, but said handicapped accessibility is a concern.
Kevin A. Hayes, president of Hayes Design Group, said adding an elevator to the school does not make it handicapped accessible.
“We’re talking hardware, size and shape of doors, bathroom accessible and fire alarms with visual as well as hearing (equipment),” he said.
Most residents in attendance voiced a concern for the location of the new building and the possible rise in taxes.
Residents Jeff Duranko, Rick Barzanti, Sandy Theis and Joe Spiker are hoping community members will add their names to the November ballots for election to the school board. Each is running as a write-in candidate.
Duranko and Barzanti said the proposed building of the school prompted them to seek election.
“It’s just not ethical,” Duranko said before the meeting. “You don’t build a school you say is going to build our community, and it’s forcing people out of their homes.”
Barzanti said he specifically decided to run because of the tax increase involved with building a new school. Duranko added that a merger with Carmichaels Area School District seems a logical option, but he said he is open to suggestions.
Director Denise Clark said she is willing to work with the community.
“If we could build a school with no taxes, who would be here?” she asked the audience. “We need to work together.”
She added that the school board is trying not to increase taxes.
“We’re fighting for this district,” she said.
However, not all district residents oppose the building of a new school.
Resident Dorothy Galanko said the board is “moving too slow.”
“What do we got here? We need something to be proud of,” she said. “That new school is going to be an attraction.”
Hayes said a feasibility study that began two years ago contains nine options for the board and community to consider. The study is available for public scrutiny at Mapletown High School, said Superintendent Dr. Phillip Savini.
To ease the concerns of taxpayers, Hayes explained that the district will spend no money on the project for at least 15 months.
“Only when the board awards bids for contracts do you spend money,” he said.
Savini said the board tabled the motion to move ahead with the project because they “needed more time for clarification before proceeding.”
“We want to be as cautious as possible,” he said.