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Discussion on a controversial referendum in Donegal heated up July 22 after a member of a group opposing the $100 million plan demanded the immediate resignation of the current school board.
Donegal resident and former school board president Willis Spangler accused the board of lying to the public and said the best thing they can do is step down.
Spangler, of Terrace Avenue, Mount Joy, a member of a group called REACT (Refocus on Education, Accountability, Children and Taxpayers), made his statements during the rare midsummer board meeting.
"You need to be more honest with the community," he said.
Spangler accused the district of exaggerating the condition of existing school buildings to justify the proposed building project and lying to the public regarding the need for a special election for the referendum.
"You told us we would not need a special election," he said. "Quit lying to the people."
Spangler's comments, which followed comments from another REACT member, were the harshest criticism to date from the group toward the board during discussion of the referendum and the proposed building project.
Donegal resident and former board president Jeffrey Gingrich grilled the board on election plans for the referendum.
Gingrich, of Longenecker Road, Mount Joy, alleged he obtained information that "active dialog" and meetings have occurred between county board of elections officials and the school board's solicitor regarding a date for the special referendum, the wording of the referendum and any potential legal issues."A special referendum (for Donegal) has already been scheduled for either the last Tuesday in January or the first Tuesday in February. That came from the board of elections," Gingrich said.
Gingrich accused the board of failing to tell the public they had discussions with legal counsel on a proposed time frame and other referendum matters.
"The referendum and discussion of the referendum and what should be discussed at a public meeting should be discussed at a public meeting; otherwise, that is a violation of the Sunshine laws," Gingrich said.
However, board president Todd Smeigh said the board simply advised counsel to begin whatever legal action was needed in reference to the special election for the referendum.
He said neither he nor the board had any of the information Gingrich spoke of and that the district was at the mercy of the board of elections over a date for the referendum.
Gingrich also said the board is wasting taxpayer money by not holding the referendum during the November general election.
Smeigh said based on information provided to the district by project architects, it would be impossible to hold the referendum in November based on the current project time line.
"This doesn't come clean," he said. "The board of elections knows more than this school board does?"
(91) (41) (38) (37) (36) (30) (11) (8) (6) (5) (2) (2)Board member James Morrissey said even if the referendum could be held in November, it has a better chance of passing voter approval if the election were held during a more strategic time frame.
"I'm just concerned that if we were to have this (referendum) during the regular election, this particular election with this presidential election cycle, I think more people are going to the polls to vote against somebody than are going to vote for somebody," Morrissey said.
"It's going to be a very contentious election, and I don't want this district's referendum tied into this regular election. I think it is a bad idea," he said.
Under Act 1 guidelines, if a referendum fails, school districts must wait 155 days before another referendum can be held.
For most of the meeting, the board and public listened to a presentation by project architects on the proposal.
Although most of the information provided by project architects from Crabtree Rohrbaugh & Associates of Mechanicsburg had been discussed at previous meetings, some new information was released, including specific site design and placement on the proposed new Maytown Elementary School and high school.
Costs for the elementary school were estimated at $12.3 to $12.8 million and the high school at $56.1 to $58.4 million, which made up the bulk of the $100 million price tag for the entire building project.
The next major step in the plan process is board approval of two planning and construction plans in August and the subsequent filings with the state Department of Education.
Project architects also said they are waiting to hear from state officials whether an Act 34 hearing regarding school construction is still required or if the referendum vote under Act 1 negates that requirement.
Smeigh said the Act 1 referendum process is still new to a lot of boards.
Upper Dublin School District in Bucks County was the first Pennsylvania school district to hold a referendum under Act 1, but according to architects for Donegal's project, Upper Dublin held its referendum before seeking bids and project costs and avoided any Act 34 issues.
Donegal is the second district in the state to enter into a construction plan triggering the required Act 1 referendum.
