Outside the polls this morning, supporters and opponents of the $114 million referendum in the Donegal School District were getting along just fine.
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It was a sharp juxtaposition after weeks of letters to the editor, meetings, stolen political signs and accusations that the other side was telling lies.
Ben Kling, president of Citizens for Education, a pro-referendum community group, visited all seven polls in the district.
He shook hands with a few of his opponents and said the mood between them was "amiable."
Turnout for this unique election — where 12,000 people are eligible to vote — was steady and "very good," said Mary Stehman, chief clerk of the county's Board of Elections.
At the East Donegal Township poll, 82 people voted by 7:30 a.m., said Sharon Suess, Judge of Elections.
"I even had someone who didn't vote in the presidential race," Suess said. They did this time because of the potential local impact.
If the referendum passes, the district would move forward on a project that would raise taxes to build a new high school, a new Maytown Elementary and athletic facilities. It would renovate the existing high school, middle school and Riverview Elementary.
Don Zerphey, a former school board member who opposes the project because of its size and cost, stood outside in the cold and offered voters additional information before they entered the building.
This is democracy at its best, he said. The project is in the voters' hands. He said he will respect their decision.
"I think if it passes, the board is going to have to be very careful in future budgets not to overtax in addition to this building program," Zerphey said. "If it fails, then Donegal needs to bring all of the parties to the table and develop a new plan, one that is affordable, meets the needs of the children and has the support of the entire community."
School board member Jim Morrisey spoke with voters as they exited the building. He asked them how they voted and why.
By 7:45, his tally showed a 2 to 1 lead of "yes" votes.
But if the referendum fails, he wants to hear the reason from the residents, so he can take that information back to the school board.
In initial voting this morning, most of the "no" voters said the project would cost too much.
"I believe it's too excessive," said Janelle Hollinger, 37, of Maytown, who is the mother of a 4-year-old. "It's like keeping up with the Joneses."
James Leonard, 63, of Maytown, also voted against the project.
"There are too many people living on fixed incomes, who can't afford additional tax increases," he said.
Ken Wood, 42, of Maytown, voted for it; his two children are in seventh grade and fifth grade.
"My daughter participates in the computer lab at Maytown, where the ceiling fell in," he said. "It's a safety issue. And at the middle school, it's way too crowded. My son has to eat lunch at 1 p.m. to make room for everyone."
Donegal High School is always cold, and the classrooms are overcrowded, said Amber Smith, an 18-year-old senior at Donegal High School. That's why she voted "yes" today.
Her mother, Pam Smith, 44, also voted "yes."
This morning, representatives from community groups that support and oppose the project manned the seven polls in the district.
Kling, the Citizens for Education leader, said he hopes that when the vote is over, the community heals.
"I would love the nastiness to stop," he said. "I'm sad that it started."
No matter what happens, he will support the decisions of the voters, he said.
Results are expected to be posted by 9:30 tonight on the county's Web site,
www.co.lancaster.pa.us.
(Staff Writer Chad Umble contributed to this report.)
Staff writer Robyn Meadows can be reached at rmeadows@LNPnews.com or 481-6025.
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