The school district already wastes too much money. Where is the responsibility to the taxpayers? It is not fair for those of us with out children in the district to pay the burden. I think those with out children should get a discounted tax break. What is in it for us with out children to get back from the school district? We have to pay for the community classes, we can't use their libraries for research or books, their kids litter when they walk past our properties and make noise and carry on in the AM. It is supposed to be a community school district yet the community as a whole gets nothing back for a district that keeps building and spending and raising my taxes.

The blame for this lies solely on the school district. They were aware of the existing zoning ordinances and went ahead with full blown plans arrogantly ignoring this information. The school district failed to prove a hardship which is why they were denied. No one in the private sector would have approached a project like the school district has in this case. Thanks again for wasting my money. My hope is that you will learn from this and not blame ths on East Pikeland OR will the responsible party step up and pay for this out of their own pocket. How many teachers could have gotten raises out of the money you wasted?

PASD has the highest per-student costs in Chester County, and PASD superintendent Alan Fegley blames the charter schools. They just blew $590,000 for legal, evenvironmental, and planning, and they blew $900,000 in architectural, so that's $1,490,000 blown on speculative endeavors. You'd think they would've spent less on speculative endeavors.

Every single member on the PASD board needs to be replaced. In one week, we've found out that they've wasted millions of our tax dollars (see yesterday's Patch article about rhe fact finding report) and it's plainly obvious that the board members are clueless and must go.

Chris- that is ridiculus. PASD asked for too many exemptions and variances. EP is following the zoning regulations. This project should have never gone as far as it did. Why were complete architectural and engineering plans done when PASD knew they were going against zoning regulations that have been in place for years? Thevpublic deserves to know who is at fault and the FACTS. Let's finally learn from our mistakes.

Steve N. Yes, the tax burden is unfair to some. However, a community benefits from a school district that is otherwise succeeding and the community fails if the school district is not doing well. Move to Pottstown and see what's up there.

JK still gets it.

Bill N. Blame the administration for pushing this forward. And blame yourself for voting in the board members that you're always complaining about. You did vote, didn't you? 90% of eligible voters don't vote in the primaries and I'm so sure you're in that 10%. And again, you can't legally replace the entire board. 4 spots are open in 2013. Turn off the Simpsons and go vote or be quiet.

For Chris. You are making some serious allegations. Are you implying that EP deliberately misled you concerning this project? Did the officials involved tell you that you would get approval even though you are requesting so many variances and exceptions? If that is true then you have a legal case. If not, then I hope you and the rest of the staff at PASD realize and admit your mistake.

Not sure why you're lumping me in with the staff of the PASD. All I am saying is that the language of why the building is not allowed reference things that were pretty clear from early on. However, they continued to ask for modifications, tests, etc. and then still killed it. That's just fact. So I can't blame the district for continuing to try to meet the requests of the community.....but I can blame the community and EP board for making them jump through hoops for them and then killing it.

Why couldn't the zoning board tell PASD sooner that they would not approve it? It really looks as though the district and taxpayers were led along and then "hung out". I remember clearly that the EP zoning board approved building on a badly contaminated superfund site, but now won't approve anymore building on a site where a school already exsists? It doesn't make good sense. Sad for our district as we will need more space to educate our children (even if you don't have kids). This is not good for any of our taxes or for re-sale value. Who wants to come here when class sizes keep going up with no-where to build a new elementary school?

SJ well said. What I think people often forget is that in the grand scheme of things, quality schools help the community and home values. People WANT to come to quality schools/facilities. In the long run it draws people, therefore it draws demand for homes and supply/demand principles take over (values rise). Now it has to be done in a fiscally responsible way also but I for one do not blame the PASD on this one...they made every effort to meet the needs of the students AND the community right down to every detail (literally the pitch of the roof!)

@Goddess, you say they blow money on things the community doesn't want. Have you asked the residents if they want the school? Opinions seem pretty even based on the poll in this thread. As far as your tax increases, have you resarched the PSERS crisis and how it's impacting our taxes? That's a state wide problem and I applaud PASD for keeping our taxes as low as they have. What was our increase last year 1.6% or so? That's pretty amazing given the economic conditions, and PSERS crisis and the ability to get a great middle school built.

This is the second major failure for elementary school defelopent that has cost the tax payers a fortune because the school board is clueless and severely misguided. Enough is enough already. Don't blame East Pikeland for making a good decision. Blame PASD for being dumb enough to waste our tax dollars for something that was ridiculous from the start.

Those are not Just The Facts. The District needs more school space, that's a fact. East Pikeland school is overcrowded, that's a fact. The District wouldn't have spent additional funds if East Pikeland was firm in their thoughts regarding the project.

@goddess...sorry for replying down here but I don't get an option to reply directly to you. What I was saying is the pension crisis is a large part of tax increases and you seem very informed so you must know all that PASD is doing to alleviate the impact of this (which is a state issue). That's why I applaud them on taxes. They are certainly not a "let's tax and spend" board. Perhaps they were in the past but this current board does all it can to be fiscally disciplined.

If you're an architect or lawyer, why not string along a township funded by taxpayer money??

According to wikipedia, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/East_Pikeland_Township,_Chester_County,_Pennsylvania

East Pikeland population increased by 528 people from 2000 to 2010. Approximately 25% were under 18 (130) and let's say a third of those were of elementary age, about 45. Some of those go to private school so that leaves 40.

So is my math wrong or is this about a few dozen kids? And that entire 40 is spread out over the last 10 years.

It's hard to say about the school's population if you don't have a child in there. I would really like to see comments from EP parents and know what they have to say. I still think that this all comes down to need and want. I believe that the district needs to expand the EP Elementary school, I also believe that the near by residents don't want it in their backyard.

EP's growth was about 8% for 2000-2010. Let's say another 8% for 2010 to 20, assuming there isn't a boom, still only adds another 40 kids for a total of 80 new EP kids from 2000-2020.

For the kindergarten. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Phoenixville,_Pennsylvania

Phoenixville population increased 1,652 from 2000 to 2010. 96% are over 18 or under 5 which leaves 4%. Maybe 10% of those are 5 to account for kindergarten, about 64 kids. Double that to account for the next 10 years is 128 kids. Kindergarten isn't mandatory so maybe 120.

So there's 200 new kids from 2000 - 2020? 10 new kids per year? Is this all necessary?

I have to find the article where the opposition pressed Dr. Fegley about the projected growth and he didn't furnish any saying you had to accept the state's data.

We had 35 kids in the classrooms back in the 70s and 80s. Now they freak if it's over 22 MPorchik.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Schuylkill_Township,_Chester_County,_Pennsylvania

Schuylkill added about 1600 from 2000 to 2010 so about the same as Phoenixville. So another 120 kids from Schuylkill from 2000-2020.

Now we're up to 320 kids over the 20 year time period. 16 kids/year. I'm just chucking numbers out there. Do we really need these huge buildings?

Rob Frees took the blame for the super fund site. I wonder who's going to take the blame for this one. I'm not sure why PASD is so focused on Kimberton. The traffic for all kindergarten students from Schuylkill and Barkley areas coming into a residential 25 MPH zone is ridiculous. The traffic is already horrific with just local residents getting 1st-5th graders to school. The proposal was based on per capita, not future aspects. Just look at Schuylkill, built in 2006 and now utilizes trailers. The proposed parking allotment was limited to the amount of teachers they currently have. Kimberton is mostly farm land and forget the 'Save the Land' tax increase, any lawyer for Toll Brothers can find a loop hole in it. The state grants given to PASD for new construction can now be applied to litigation instead of doing the right thing. What about centralizing the kindergarteners in Phoenixville?

Paul O. You are correct. It was a little crazy.

My kids are about the same age. My son's 8th grade algebra is from my 10th and 11th grades and I went to Conestoga. Although I remember a kid in 7th grade who was taking courses at Villanova so I guess they could accomodate anybody.

The costs are just crazy and the board's estimated tax increases were 8% next year and close to that for a few years after to pay psers. I'm not sure where the middle ground is. A 47 foot tall building built up to the property line with all kinds of drainage is just crazy. I had suggested they scale back their requests from the beginning, but they do what they want.

The one GREAT thing about this thread (as opposed to so many others) is that for the most part people are having a civil debate without the need for name calling. Everyone's opinion should be heard and just because someons has an opposing opinion, it doesn't make them an "idiot". Just felt the need to point that out since it's so rare nowadays (particularly around election time).

I'm an idiot.

As a future EP elementary school parent, I want the new school for my children. When they were building the new Schulykill school, I lived across the street from it. Minor inconvenience for a great school!! EP is old, probably filled with Asbestos and in need of renovation/expansion. I understand the concerns of the neighbors, but it's really not that bad. EP is a big township. Recent developments have exploded the population. From what I have heard, it is only 5 neighbors that have a problem.

Gillian - It is a lot more than just 5 neighbors. There are a whole host of people who don't want to overbuild the EP Elemenatary site, for a variety of reasons. And, PASD is not asking for variances or waivers on just a few small items. The Township rules and regulations were created for good reason and can't be broken for just one developer. PASD has has a lot of challenges with it's Middle/High School site. They are optimizing the use of the land that they do have, but it is not without its challenges. PASD would be wise to spend a lot less money in legal fees and a lot more money buying the additional real estate that it will need for future growth. Phoenixville is a very desirable place to live now. With the improvements to our schools, the revitalization of our town, and the arrival of the PA Turnpike slip ramps in Great Valley, it is destined to continue its growth.

Peter. I saw Judi's reference to the 5 neighbors. Seems to be a few more. I don't live near there, but I feel for both sides.

You're totally right about the money. I remember the land was available across from Meadowbrook years ago, but nothing happened. Are they still talking to Meadowbrook about their land? What else is available? The tract near 23 and 724 is too far to the one side of the township?

Really? It's only a mile from the current site. Is that a big deal?

It would appear like all school boards they tend to ignore reality and proceed as if funds will forever be available for whatever each member disires or dreams of. I have seen several boards in NJ behave in such a manner resulting in wasted dollars and time hurting the children to be educated as well as in general the tax payers

I had been a business administrator for several districts and personalities always get in the way and many non-trasparent issues are dealth with in hidden ways

While your school district gets that average $3,500. property tax out of you, again, take into consideration that IF you do not pay this tax, for the rest of your life, you will be forced out of your home or business.
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What lessons are we teaching our children when the school they are being educated in is directly responsible for throwing them, their families, grandparents, neighbors, local business owners, ... into bankruptcy?
The public schooling of students in the United States, paid for by property owners, has been the law of the land for more than one hundred years.
Your school district sucks $30. to $100. a week [or more; up to $10,000. a year ] out of your pocket.
Via congress.org you could tell your state lawmakers, your school board does such a sub-par job, and that after 100 years, because, excuses from your superintendent are just insulting to you so, it's time to eliminate the school property tax and try something different.
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Your state government learned how-to eliminate your school property tax several years ago but, since you and your fellow property owners are not telling them to go ahead and abolish the tax, they don't care to do anything but apply band-aids, favoring one political interest or another.
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Learn more about why and how-to speak up before it's too late via the PTCC - Pennsylvania Taxpayers Cyber Coalition http://www.facebook.com/groups/pataxpayers/

Y'all tend to take Fegley's tone in his letter as fact. Fact was, from the very beginning, the PASD was swimming upstream. The existing property, with no modifications at all, is already out of compliance with the zoning. They started with a completely ridiculous proposal and thought that by backing it off to just ridiculous that it would then pass. Nobody promised them anything. They pushed the limits in every direction from a *zoning* perspective. The planning commission had no choice but to allow it to go to the zoning commission. But that is not a rubber stamp to pass zoning. And they failed. They could see this coming and they pretend it is a big surprise. They gambled and lost, and it was a foolish gamble. As many have pointed out, they seem hell-bent on never taking any outside advice, turning down alternative sites, pooh-poohing every suggestion. But fact is, PASD's plan was flawed and it failed.

BTW I AM a neighbor, and was pretty ambivalent about them building on the property, (i declined to join the crazy OMG ITS POISON neighbor's coalition) but my original statement in front of the township board was exactly the same as the zoning commission's assessment: a 5lb bag with a 10lb load.

Since Dr. Noyes time East Pikeland zoning board wasn't going to let PASD build. They made the school district spend taxpayers money on a proposal that was already dead. Regardless of what the PASD reports would indicate EP was looking for a reason to bury it.....Just build another school or up grade space in Phoenixville.

Kimberton Elementary
Here are the fees that PASD has paid to develop a proposed school on polluted property (Obtained via right to know letter to pasd)

Purchase of property
(appraised at $900,000. Subtract the $600K + estimate to clean it up and it's just about worthless) $1,905,680
Legal fees (preparation of agreement of sale) 5,829
Architect 1,764,085
Construction Manager 161,443
Land suveyors 35,450
Chester County Planning Commission
Land Development 2,604
East Pikeland Township
Engineering, Legal Fees 87,678
Chester County Conservation District
Erosion and Sediment
Pollution Control & Clean Water Fund 6,500
Traffic Design 81,435
Traffic Improvement 7,200
Legal Fees re: Environmental &
Land Development Matters 247,210
Environmental Engineering 389,728
Geothermal Testing 23,107
Pollution Insurance 141,558
Total Dollars Spent to Date $4,859,512

Cut and pasted from another source. Add this amount to the $ 1.6 million spent on this latest fiasco and it all adds up to $6.5 million of TAXPAYER MONEY, probably more. Where the hell is the transparency from all the accountants and scientists on this board. You are supposed to be the fiscally responsible ones watching where the money is spent.

Maybe an update on how much money has been repaid to the district from the former land owners or where the lawsuit against the former superintendant stands that has so quietly been slogging through the court system for the past 4 years, instead of articles on how much money is spent by this district ($12,500 ) to educate the kids.
A better breakdown would be just how much IS spent on the kids compared to salaries, pensions,maintenance and upkeep instead of two grass fields in the last for years, a turf field and a bridge.

$1.5 million totally wasted - that is half again as much as the charter school gets in total - but at least that is for educating appoximately 300 kids, for a lot less than PASD spends! The article last week blames the charter school for their budget woes - seems to me, their woes are more about foolish spending. How many of these board members were on the Board when the $5 million debacle of contaminated land came to light - and in 3 years, not ONE board membmer had visited the site? Seems to me, they should be looking in a mirror..........