Overflow Crowd Packs Meeting, School Closings Plan Fills Public Comment

An overflow crowd packed the Neshaminy School Board meeting Tuesday night.

The majority of the audience was at the meeting to hear about or speak their voice about the proposed $50 million school closing and construction project.

Middletown resident Angie Manning presented the board with over 1,260 signatures calling for a referendum on the plan. When she presented the signatures, applause and cheers erupted from the audience.

Some residents pointed out that the petition’s 1,260 signatures only represented a tiny percentage of the taxpayers.

Levittown resident Jennifer Wallover raised concerns that price tag on the building project will be higher than board members have presented. She cited increased interest rates as one of the reasons. She added that the money could be better spent bringing the existing neighborhood schools to modern standards.

Despite heavy media coverage on LevittownNow.com and local newspapers, a Langhorne Borough resident said he spoke with district taxpayers at the Langhorne SEPTA station and many told him they had never heard of the plan. He urged a referendum.

“I believe this referendum will divide this district,” Donna Regan of Feasterville said. She asked the board to not put the schools plan up for referendum.

Several young students asked the board not to close their schools.

“I really like the teachers and I have a lot of friends there,” Oliver Heckman student Ella said. “Please, don’t close my school.”

“I don’t want you guys to close my school – I’ll be really mad,” said another young girl.

The district is currently looking at a plan that will close Samuel Everitt, Oliver Heckman and Lower Southampton elementary schools in favor of a $35 million “super” school at the Tawanka site, which could house 1,200 students. A large addition to Pearl S. Buck Elementary School in Middletown and needed renovations to the remaining buildings would round out the $50 million project. If the plan goes forward, redistricting would be necessary.

Neshaminy could save as much as $2 million a year if the plan moves forward.

Rumors that Walter Miller Elementary School could close instead of Everitt have spread recently. Board President Ritchie Webb said Miller has always been a candidate to close.

Webb said the board will be able to present more information and answer more questions at the September 10 meeting.