PASD Looks to Possibly Renegotiate Bonds

Last Thursday’s Phoenixville Area School District board of education meeting contained quite a few quick-hit business items, which were voted on by the board. Board Members David Ziev, Betsy Ruch and Vice President Debbie Dawson were absent.

District to Look at Possibly Renegotiating Bonds

The board voted 6-0 to authorize the administration to work with Fox Rothschild and others to secure a new bond to fund the middle school project in an amount not to exceed $9.7 million. Additionally, the board voted unanimously to authorize the administration to work with parties for a recall of 2007 general obligation bonds through a competitive Internet sale.

The minimum savings target in the negotiations is 2 percent. The bonds would have the same end term as the current bonds, according to Superintendent Dr. Alan Fegley.

“For the 2007 bonds, we have a recall that we can do, and we actually believe we can save much more than 2 percent,” Fegley said.

He said it could be closer to 4 percent, with the same terms. Fegley said the votes would just authorize the administration to look into the possibility, and the issue would likely come back before the board in September or October.

PCEF Will Help with Pay to Participate

Joseph Little, president of the Phoenxiville Community Education Foundation (PCEF), informed the board that PCEF will be donating $10,000 to help students struggling to pay the newly instituted pay-to-participate fees in the district.

“We have set aside $10,000 from our fundraising activities over the past year to help those in our community who may need a hand,” Little told the board.

The foundation will give a check to the district, which will then work to administer how the funds are distributed.

Also dealing with pay to participate, the board gave the nod to the new policy for pay to participate. As of today, the new policy wasn’t up on the district’s website, but it will include fees of either $25 or $50 per activity for students participating in extra-curricular activities.

Preparing for the New School Year

Fegley said the district is busy making preparations for the students’ arrival on Aug. 29.

One outstanding issue, Fegley noted, is the parking and traffic circulation at the high school. New traffic patterns were developed, and work was being done on two tunnels that will help students cross the parking lot. Fegley said if the work isn’t done completely, the district has a back-up plan that includes opening just one of the tunnels—the one that is handicap-accessible—on opening day.

“We will have lots of folks out there directing traffic,” Fegley told the board.

To see the color-coded map with the new parking patterns, visit the district’s website.

The next meeting of the Phoenixville Area School Board will be the work session scheduled for Sept. 8 at 7 p.m. in the district’s new administration building.