Council Rock Plans Vote On Sol Feinstone Renovations

NEWTOWN, PA — The Council Rock School Board will vote Monday on whether or not to begin renovations this summer at Sol Feinstone Elementary School, the district's oldest and most ailing school building.

During Thursday's school board meeting, Superintendent Robert Fraser asked the board to reconsider approving renovations for the school.

During its April 8 meeting, the board voted to approve renovations for Hillcrest Elementary School and a new turf field at Council Rock High School South, but not for Sol Feinstone and Richboro Elementary School, citing financial concerns.

Related: Council Rock Approves Renovations For Hillcrest Elementary

Since that meeting, updated budget projections show higher than expected end-of-year revenues due in part to conservative revenue projections that were made following last year's school shutdown resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic, Fraser told the board Thursday. Earned income tax revenues are coming in $2.3 million higher than expected, he said, and the district also saved $1.6 million in transportation costs from making fewer bus trips.

Fraser recommended the board approve a one-time payment of $2.37 million to approve renovations for Sol Feinstone to begin this summer.

"Waiting several more years would not be fiscally sound," Fraser said.

Some board members agreed with Fraser's recommendation, while others thought the board should delay the work for a year.

The board ultimately decided to schedule a vote on the Sol Feinstone renovations during a virtual meeting of the school board and the education committee at 7 p.m. Monday. Click here for the Zoom link. Public comments including the sender's full name and municipality submitted to publiccomment@crsd.org will be read aloud at the meeting.

Pending the board's approval Monday, the work at Sol Feinstone would begin this summer and last for three years. Work at Richboro Elementary School is slated to begin in Summer 2023, pending board approval next year. Both projects would be completed by summer 2024.

Council Rock OKs Proposed Budget In Procedural Vote

The Council Rock School District approved a proposed budget for the 2021-2022 school year during its meeting Thursday, with final approval slated for next month.

The $253 million general fund budget includes a 3 percent tax increase, which amounts to a roughly $147 increase for the median property owner in the district.

Board members voted 7-2 to approve the proposed budget, with Andy Block and Michael Thorwart voting against its passage. The board now has 30 days to adopt a final budget for next school year.

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