There was quite a discussion at the hearing regarding closing Caln, centering on issues of safety; cost effectiveness; home values in Caln; the value of the elementary school to the Caln community beyond its use as a school; and whether or not the move is a “done deal.”

Do you feel I've left any out? Did the hearing change your opinion? What do you think will happen next, and what should happen?

Also, what did you think about this discussion:

Resident Jim Caldwell:  

"I had hoped tonight this would be a real hearing in the sense of the word. I had hoped that you would be open for listening to more ideas that you could put into the pot. ...I'm not very encouraged. You tweaked the presentation but...(this won't work and) Ron Miller's won't work... All things may be lawful, but not all things are helpful. I guess I don't get that sense (that anyone is listening)."

Board member Tonya Thames Taylor:

"Initially I said I was going to come in and listen. But when you basically are attacking someone's character, I have a problem with that. ... One person got up and said they didn't think they were getting a fair hearing. Just because someone may not agree with you, does not mean they're not listening. To indict someone's character and accuse them of not listening is unethical and cowardly."

Chat comment from reader "In d ville", copied and pasted as written:

"Tonya Thames Taylor's comment about concerned citizens being unethical and cowardly was uncalled for. Those folks have a right to be heard. The way of Cville politicians in the past has been to talk down concerned citizens. Times are changing. There are many new folks moving to Cville that aren't intimidated by this kind of bluster. The folks in Caln may not get what they want, but at least they've made a stand. It's a start."

What do you think is the real issue here - both in this discussion, and in the hearing overall? What do you think is the driving concern?


Click here for the document to which board member Robert Knecht was referring at the end of the meeting: Responses to Alternative to Closing Caln...

Click here for agenda and copy of PowerPoint slides

Click here for "Playground Exhibit: Scott Elementary School"

Link to CoverItLive chat: http://bit.ly/cgIO75

Tonight at 6 p.m., I'll be hosting a live chat at the CASD hearing about moving Caln.

What do you think about the move?

The last day of classes in the Coatesville Area School District also marked the final day for Gordon Elementary.

The school is closing as part of a cost-saving plan by the district, but the building will reopen in September as the Gordon Education Center, dedicated to serving special education students in grades six through 10.

The board of the Coatesville Area School District passed the 2008-2009 school budget Tuesday night, a package that includes a 3.11 percent property tax increase and a cost-saving plan to close Coatesville's Gordon Elementary School.

Jennifer Miller wrote in today's paper that the school board voted 7-1 in favor of the $135.8 million budget plan. Diane Brownfield was the only member to oppose the plan. Board member Robert Knecht was absent.

My DLN colleague Danielle Lynch filled in and covered Monday night's CASD board meeting where members passed the preliminary version of the 2008-2009 budget (by a vote of 7-2), which calls for a 3.11 percent tax increase, and the district's plans to eliminate Gordon Elementary School (by a vote of 8-1).

From Tuesday's story:

School Board President Donna Urban said that the district has the second lowest proposed tax increase in the county. Urban noted the elementary school renovation was not planned because the school district is in financial trouble. She said the district is slowly raising taxes now to avoid a large tax increase later.

“I’m really having a hard time with the tax increase,” said school board member Robert Knecht, who voted against the preliminary budget.

Diana Brownfield also voted against the preliminary budget and was the only board member to vote against plans to renovate the elementary school into an education center.

“In my eyes, Gordon is the little school that could,” said Brownfield. “It’s the heart of the district.”

CASD's proposed budget is balanced at $135.8 million and includes a plan to disperse Gordon's students among CASD's other six elementary schools. The building would then house the district's special education center.

CASD officials have estimated that move would save the district more than $2 million.

The Coatesville Area School District is considering a plan that would reconfigure Gordon Elementary School, changing it from a traditional kindergarten-to-six facility to a district-wide special education center for grades six-through-12.

Students at Gordon will be spread out among the district's remaining six grade schools. No news yet how the district plans to divide up the city.

CASD's director of business administration, Ken Lupold, said the move will save the system more than $2 million a year. The plan is part of the district's proposed 2008-2009 budget, which the school board could pass preliminarily at its meeting on April 22.

The proposed budget also includes 3.11 percent tax increase.

From Thursday's story:

“I think the administration did a very good job of trying to balance what the district needs,” School Board President Donna Urban said, “and what the taxpayers are going to be looking for.”

Board members of the Coatesville Area School District voted against a waiver that would have relieved the Archdiocese of Philadelphia from its obligation to pay rollback taxes on the land where St. Peter's Church and the Pope John Paul II Regional Elementary School were built.

The rollback taxes amount to a penalty for the archdiocese developing a a portion of the 217-acre property that previously had been protected as open space under Pennsylvania's Clean and Green Act.

The total tax bill owed by the church is more than $200,000, and about $190,000 of that is is due to the school district.

It appears to be a relatively tiny sum compared to CASD's annual budget, which this year is about $130 million, but the school district's persistence that it be paid is a sign of some belt-tightening as officials begin planning the 2008-2009 finances.

From Sunday's article:

Ken Lupold, CASD’s director of business administration and a member of the finance committee, on Friday said the decision to reject the waiver was financial.

The district, which has a $130 million operating budget this year, has begun calculating next year’s expenditures and revenues. Lupold said officials are realizing “our revenues from local sources are down quite a bit this year,” partly because of stagnant real estate values.

“Consequently our earnings from interest are also down,” Lupold said. “So we were looking at this for a boost to our revenues.”

The Coatesville Area School District was not affected by the California beef recall, but four other Chester County school districts were.