School Board Hopes New Renovation Project Proposal Will Be Accepted
By: Mallory Lane
Updated: November 12, 2012
STATE COLLEGE, CENTRE COUNTY - Five years ago, the State College community was in the middle of a big controversy over plans to renovate the high school.
Monday night, a new plan will be introduced.
Folks in the community were concerned about the proposed changes to the school and voiced their opinions, so much so that members of the school board were voted out of office.
Now, a new school board, with a new idea, is hoping their plans will be accepted.
If you turn back the clock five years, "When I went to ask questions, they were very defensive, that's what got me involved," Chertow said.
Parent Ken Chertow was part of the protests.
"I just felt like they were spending a lot of money without enough details," he said.
He's talking about the nearly $100 million State College Area High School Renovation and Addition Project introduced by the school board in 2007. It was a controversial plan since the day it was announced, with an increase in tax payers dollars and a transition from a two-building high school to one.
Today, Chertow says the new plans are coming from a more open board.
"Seems to be," he said. "The State College School District is trying to communicate with the public and say in news releases to let people know, trying to keep people posted about what's going on."
"There are a number of factors that are going into it," Public Information Specialist for the school board, Julie Miller said. "The board is committed to having an open and transparent process to have everything out there in front of the community to say this is what we're looking at. We'd love your input and to have your feedback so we can gather as much information as possible before making a decision moving forward."
The details of the new project have yet to be revealed by developers, but Miller says with the projected costs of the changes, the project will likely come to a vote during the next school year and it's important the public be informed.
"A project of this size is something that won't be able to be funded through the regular budget,which means the district will need to go to the taxpayers to ask for their support," she said.
And that's something Chertow says he's willing to do.
"We're invested in our children, we're invested in our community, we're invested in our future. I support it. I just want it thoroughly thought through and I want to make sure they make wise decisions and are fiscally responsible."
The board will meet for a public meeting Monday beginning at 7:30 in the Administrative Building on W. Nittany Ave. in State College.
Monday night, a new plan will be introduced.
Folks in the community were concerned about the proposed changes to the school and voiced their opinions, so much so that members of the school board were voted out of office.
Now, a new school board, with a new idea, is hoping their plans will be accepted.
If you turn back the clock five years, "When I went to ask questions, they were very defensive, that's what got me involved," Chertow said.
Parent Ken Chertow was part of the protests.
"I just felt like they were spending a lot of money without enough details," he said.
He's talking about the nearly $100 million State College Area High School Renovation and Addition Project introduced by the school board in 2007. It was a controversial plan since the day it was announced, with an increase in tax payers dollars and a transition from a two-building high school to one.
Today, Chertow says the new plans are coming from a more open board.
"Seems to be," he said. "The State College School District is trying to communicate with the public and say in news releases to let people know, trying to keep people posted about what's going on."
"There are a number of factors that are going into it," Public Information Specialist for the school board, Julie Miller said. "The board is committed to having an open and transparent process to have everything out there in front of the community to say this is what we're looking at. We'd love your input and to have your feedback so we can gather as much information as possible before making a decision moving forward."
The details of the new project have yet to be revealed by developers, but Miller says with the projected costs of the changes, the project will likely come to a vote during the next school year and it's important the public be informed.
"A project of this size is something that won't be able to be funded through the regular budget,which means the district will need to go to the taxpayers to ask for their support," she said.
And that's something Chertow says he's willing to do.
"We're invested in our children, we're invested in our community, we're invested in our future. I support it. I just want it thoroughly thought through and I want to make sure they make wise decisions and are fiscally responsible."
The board will meet for a public meeting Monday beginning at 7:30 in the Administrative Building on W. Nittany Ave. in State College.
Charlotte Ames is the area's only local Health Reporter and brings you the latest medical health news weeknights. You can catch Healthcast on WTAJ News at 5:00pm and her Health Headlines report on WTAJ News at 5:30pm.