PT board: Expansion on hold: O-R 11-23-11

11/23/2011 3:33 AM

McMURRAY - The response to a Peters Township School District survey asking residents if they would support an expansion and renovation to the high school was a resounding no.

And the negative response was even more overwhelming, at almost 73 percent, to the question of whether residents would approve a 9-mill tax increase to fund the project.

As a result, Superintendent Nina Zetty announced at Monday's school board meeting that after reviewing the survey results and examining the 2012-13 preliminary budget, the board decided to place high school expansion plans on hold. That decision put an end to architect's fees, thus canceling the design process.

The district currently is facing a nearly $1.7 million deficit in the 2012-13 budget and most likely will ask the state to permit a nearly 3-mill tax increase.

The district has attempted to reduce costs and, for the first time this school year, enacted a pay-to-play policy that also included band participants.

Funding to school associations also was reduced, a fact that was evident when the board was asked Monday to approve 26 separate requests for fundraising activities. Requests were made, in part, by the band boosters, cheerleaders, baseball boosters, high school literary magazine, various individual elementary schools, the high school student council, McMurray Relay for Life and various classes.

Activities range from selling candy bars to a winter carnival, a shoebox collection and sales of pizzas and cookie dough.

"Times are tough," board member Sue Smith said. She reiterated how last year the board asked the groups to scale back and now the organizations are needing to reach out to the community to raise money.

Zetty said she has not received any negative feedback about increased solicitations.

While the district is scaling back on expansion plans and funding for various organizations and activities, the board is in the midst of a $2.5 million upgrade and improvement project to athletic fields above Pleasant Valley Elementary School. Improvements include installing artificial turf, new lights and sound system and a concession and restroom buildingl.

The project is being financed through a $5 million bond issue approved by the board in late June. The money may only be used for capital improvement projects. Copyright Observer Publishing Co.