School board responds to memorial garden concerns

The expansion and renovation of Boyertown Area Senior High has damaged the Sandy Neiman Cancer Memorial Garden, raising concerns among the community — and school board members.

Following a recent discussion, the school district administration promised that the garden will be fully restored.

Former board member Ruth Dierolf raised the issue during the public comment period at a recent school board meeting.

“The past is important,” she said. “Memorials bind people together; memorials are essential tools for those that struggle with grief. They help us to remember.”

Dierolf said to erase the existing memorial is a “disgrace” and that the board made a mistake. “The cost should not be placed on the tax payers or the donors. This is not the taxpayers’ financial duty.”

The memorial garden was built in 2009 and dedicated to Sandy Neiman, a Boyertown-area Realtor who died of cancer the previous year at age 49.

The contractor working on the high school renovation removed bushes and trees planted in the memorial garden.

Following policy, the school board members do not generally offer an immediate response to public comments.

“This is one issue deserving of a response,” said Superintendent Richard Faidley, who asked Chief Student Achievement Officer Greg Miller to address the issue.

Miller recognized the amount of concern surrounding the memorial garden and the bushes that have been removed. He explained however, that for safety reasons, it was required to place a sidewalk along Cherry Street.

“Those involved early on realized the importance of memorial,” said Miller. For that reason, a request was made to reduce the sidewalk by one foot in width — bringing it from six feet to five feet. “The bushes had to be removed for work to take place,” said Miller. “It was all done with least impact possible.”

Miller said restoration of the bushes was already budget into the school renovation project.

“Additionally, a tree was removed. It’s unfortunate. It was a mistake by the contractors,” said Miller. He explained how there was nothing in the demoli- tion process that involved removing a tree.

The contractors will replace the tree at their expense. It will be the same type of tree — a zelkova shade.

Miller has reached out to the garden’s designer, Scott Rothenberger, to combine efforts and get the garden back to what it should be.

“It’s near and dear to his heart. We’re working with him to get it back to true form,” said Miller. “We have the opportunity to go back and replace; get the garden back to the extent that it was prior.”

During board comment portion of the meeting, members Christine Neiman and Paul Stengle said they knew nothing about the garden.

Neiman expressed great concern and questioned the need for the walkway.

Faidley said the sidewalk was required by Colerbookdale Township and the board was aware of the land development process. “We’ve taken the memorial seriously and are doing our best to not have it destroyed through the development process.”

“I would like to apologize to the Boyertown community for circumstances surrounding memorial garden,” said Stengle, adding that while he’s not placing blame “It is regrettable.”