School board authorizes spending

Posted by Rich Schwartzman on March 21, 2017

As was indicated by their discussions during last week’s workshop, Unionville-Chadds Ford School Board Directors this week authorized spending more than $540,000 on building improvements.

Directors also voted to spend an additional $230,000 for buses and agreed on a resolution in opposition to a state proposal that would eliminate property taxes from school funding.

The building improvements include carpeting and security door hardware for Hillendale Elementary School, carpeting for Unionville and Pocopson Elementary Schools, new LED light fixtures for CF Patton Middle School and Hillendale, the repair and resurfacing of tennis courts, roof work for Chadds Ford Elementary, Patton Middle and Unionville High School and new lockers for the middle school.

Director of Building and Grounds Rick Hostetler said last week that those expenses are all part of the district’s long-range planning.

The additional $230,000 will be spent to buy three buses, two 77-passenger buses, one 4-passenger bus, and includes $14,000 in trade-in. The contract was awarded to Wolfington Body Company, Inc.

In opposing the elimination of property taxes from funding schools, the board said removing a school board’s ability to tax would remove local control over education and “threatens the delivery of a high-quality educational program the community expects.”

The legislation under consideration in Harrisburg would shift school funding to income and an increase in the state sales tax, and the board said such a change “during times of economic recession would produce a sudden revenue shortfall that would cause a significant negative impact to programs offered to students”.

The resolution calls on the General Assembly to oppose the change in funding.

About Rich Schwartzman

Rich Schwartzman has been reporting on events in the greater Chadds Ford area since September 2001 when he became the founding editor of The Chadds Ford Post. In April 2009 he became managing editor of ChaddsFordLive. He is also an award-winning photographer.