Pleasantville Voters Reject School Capital Plan
News Based on facts, either observed and verified directly by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources.
Pleasantville School District voters handily voted down a highly controversial school capital proposition Tuesday evening to fund largescale upgrades and renovations at all three district schools.
Just over 56 percent of voters rejected the district’s request to borrow up to $13 million and use $2 million from the capital reserve fund and fund balance to pay for the project. The final tally was 1,111-854.
Board President Erin Ballard attempted to put a positive vibe on the results, saying that while the proposition failed, it generated a large turnout. A steady stream of voters came to Pleasantville Middle School, where the vote was held, throughout the day.
“We will go back to the drawing board and work together with the community,” Ballard said. “Our role as a board is to fill the needs of the community.
Over the past couple of months, the bond vote became highly contentious in the community. Many residents were opposed to resurfacing the main field turf, replacing the track, adding bathrooms, a concession area and lighting the main field. Their concerns were aired at a community forum in November and again at a board meeting earlier this month.
Other proposed upgrades and renovations included turfing the practice field area and adding supplemental lighting to that area and adding fencing and netting. Another funding item that had been discussed was replacing the rubber surface at the Bedford Road School’s playground.
Superintendent of Schools Dr. Tina DeSa was with the board when the results were announced.
“I’d like to thank the voters for coming out and engaging with the district,” DeSa said. “We will continue to collaborate with the community.”
Abby is a local journalist who has reported on breaking news for more than 20 years. She currently covers community issues in The Examiner as a full-time reporter and has written for the paper since its inception in 2007. Read more from Abby’s editor-author bio here. Read Abbys’s archived work here: https://www.theexaminernews.com/author/ab-lub2019/