GROWING PAINS
Delays in U.D. school projects costing time, money
UPPER DARBY » At the October Upper Darby School Board meeting, Superintendent Dr. Daniel McGarry told elected officials that the challenges of re-opening schools in person has been made more difficult by the limits of the district’s outdated school buildings and that some members of the community are making it worse with their resistance to school improvements.
Elementary students in Upper Darby are scheduled to return for in-person classes beginning Nov. 5 and grades 6-12 the following week.
“This pandemic has highlighted our needs in a major way. Unfortunately, we are not able to bring our students back for more inperson instruction because we lack appropriate space in our schools,” McGarry said. “What I mean is, some other school districts, because they have newer facilities or improved facilities or larger facilities, are able to return students in flexible cohorts more frequently than we can because we are limited by the space, size and condition of some of our schools.”
The district intends to invest $5 million each year in much-needed improvements to ease overcrowding and has secured a $30 million low-interest bond, 2% for 30 years. However, McGarry says the projects and the low interest rate are threatened by community resistance and misinformation.
The bond would support the Aronimink Elementary School expansion and renovation project, which McGarry says has met all necessary state and local requirements for approval. Nevertheless, a small number of residents that live close to the school have contested the project in the courts.
Bids for the Aronimink renovation came in under anticipated costs, potentially saving taxpayers hundreds of thousands of dollars, according to district officials.
The Aronimink site is on 9 acres of land and the school has an enrollment of 250 students. The renovations would allow the school to double enrollment which would reduce overcrowding in other district schools.
“The appeal is challenging the township’s process, and sadly, this is increasing the cost of the process,” McGarry said. “We essentially can’t move forward until we hear on the ruling of the appeal.”
McGarry said the delay will most likely necessitate that the school district rebid the project, potentially raising its cost.
The second project that has been met with community resistance is the long running issue of the new middle school planned for the Clifton athletic field.
School district officials said Clifton Heights officials are using ordinances passed after the district submitted its plans to deny the district the ability to build the middle school on the district’s own property.
“We are thrilled to celebrate the result of months of hard work by securing excellent financing for our facilities improvement projects. We know this will benefit our students and taxpayers,” says McGarry. “However, as other school communities make improvements to their schools and facilities, we are spending taxpayer dollars fighting unnecessary appeals that will increase the costs of projects and increase taxes. It is unfortunate that a few Aronimink Elementary School neighbors are stalling the project and that misinformation clouds the need for a new middle school on District-owned property in the Clifton Heights project. Any delay of these projects hurts our students and continues to prevent the voices and needs of those in our community who have the right to see our children enjoy an updated, state-of-the-art learning facility. It is our hope that these roadblocks will be removed, and we can focus on the business of taking care of our students’ needs.”
School board member Dr. Meredith Hegg said there was more support in the community to build a middle school at the Clifton field than what borough officials are recognizing and she urged residents to contact the their elected officials to support the project.
The Clifton PAL and Clifton Boys Club youth programs have each signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the district that demonstrates the district’s commitment to allow those groups their continued traditional programs and uses at the fields.
“(The district continues) granting the use of facilities to groups such as the Clifton Heights Police Athletic League to use the Clifton Heights field, yet we continue to get resistance from the leadership of Clifton Heights,” said Hegg, who herself is a resident of Clifton Heights. “We want to improve those facilities we continue to let groups like the PAL use fields and we want to build a middle school but if we have this constant battle from the community, we can’t move forward on that, and kids are suffering as a result.”
Hegg urged residents of the borough who are in favor of the school to speak up publicly.
McGarry also reported new technology scheduled to come to the district. Officials have given out 9,800 Chromebooks to students. With CARES funding, the district also provided 2,000 hotspots for families for internet access for the year which will remain with the district for the future. In addition, the district has added multiple cameras to school buildings to monitor for vandalism. They will also be adding two cameras, a monitor and microphone to 600 classrooms for live instruction.
The Clifton Heights Planning Commission held a hearing on the district’s plans last Thursday evening.
Borough officials have said the proposed school project is the largest in the history of the borough and will increase the daily population by 20 percent. They are concerned about traffic generated by the school could add more than 1,000 daily vehicle trips to a highly populated neighborhood, and increase the need for borough resources such
as police protection.
On Monday evening the Clifton Heights Planning Commission met again to discuss the plans.
School district officials asked for a recommendation of approval, calling it a win-win to solve overcrowding and they would work in conjunction with the borough. They asked to be treated like any other property owner.
“This planning commission has treated you with greater respect than any other applicant,” said Clif
ton Heights special attorney John McBlain, who added the borough has gone above what is required.
A number of residents spoke at the meeting with most in support of the plans. One resident question the costs that are being run up in lawyers’ fees.
Longtime resident Cheryl Baylor said initially she was totally against the new school plan, but after learning details became very excited.
“Academically, we need something here. I see this
school as as major perc, not just for our home values but for the students,” Baylor said.
School officials estimate the school would take two years to build.
The loss of 44 parking places was an issue. Planning Commission Chairman John Todd suggested perhaps the district should put driveways in for all the nearby home on Sycamore Avenue which would solve the problem.
“I understand you have the right to build there but
you have to work with the town,” Todd said.
Following the public comment a motion was made by the planning commission not to approve the preliminary land development at this time. It passed by a 6-0 vote.
“It’s tremendously disappointing,” said McGarry after the vote. “We were going to improve storm water management, improve traffic conditions, improve the field and bring a school to the community. In today’s environment, it was
no, a unanimous no, it’s really disheartening and unbelievable in today’s environment.”
MccGarry said the district will be in court on a ruling over the ordinances which the borough updated after the district submitted the plans. He added the costs on the $60 million plan will continue to rise as the two sides fight in court.
“It’s unfortunate that we could not come together over what I feel like is 44 parking spaces,” McGarry said.