Linden Supporters Speak Out At Doylestown Borough Committee Meeting

DOYLESTOWN BOROUGH, PA — With Linden Elementary School on the agenda, a full house greeted the borough's Community and Governmental Affairs committee Monday night.

"We've never had a turnout for this committee," quipped Chairman Ben Bell, prompting a roar of laughter from the audience. "I believe this is probably a committee record," added Councilman Larry Browne, a member of the committee.

"Our goal this evening is to really listen. We're in an information collection mode," Bell told the audience. "We're really interested in hearing your stories and your ideas. We will be taking notes. From our perspective, we're hear to listen to you."

Prior to public comment, Bell briefed the audience on actions being taken by the borough, including a letter sent to the Central Bucks School Board by Council President Jack O'Brien and Mayor Noni West requesting a meeting between the borough and the school district to discuss Linden Elementary.

That letter was sent March 29, according to Bell. "So far there has been no response," he said.

The committee also reviewed and sent to council for action a resolution by borough council and the mayor "strongly urging the Central Bucks School Board to revisit the recommendation to close Linden Elementary without delay through a transparent, public process in which the Doylestown Borough community can provide input that will demonstrate that Linden Elementary School should not only remain open, but be celebrated and supported as an example of what is best for the Central Bucks School District and in public education."

The actions announced by Bell received a round of applause from the audience, many of whom spoke for the next hour and a half in support of keeping the neighborhood school open.

Maple Avenue resident Laura Low opened up public comment by urging the borough to question the district on how capacity numbers were determined for Linden.

According to Low, the district sets the capacity of Linden at 600 with an enrollment of 394 students. "Based on a 600 student capacity that gave us a 65 percent capacity rate, which they say is below the 75 to 80 percent that was needed," said Low. "My point is that in 2021 and 2022 when they did their study they took the 394 and divided it by 600 because that's what they feel is the potential of Linden some day.

"But it's not fair because our building was not structured to hold 600 students at that time," she continued. "We had our two learning support programs and those kids only get counted once. So that 394 should have been divided by 522. When you do that, we're at 76 percent of capacity. It's very skewed the way they presented the information. It's not really a truthful 65 percent. We need to push them on their numbers. If we're basing all of this on false numbers, that needs to be brought to their attention," said Low.

John Parsons of East Street asked if the borough could rezone the land for a school use only. "If they want to play hardball, can we play hardball back?" he asked.

To eliminate all the uses of a property would be illegal under the Constitution of Pennsylvania, said Borough Manager John Davis, adding that under the law that would be equivalent to the taking of a property.

Under its current R1 zoning, which Davis calls the most restrictive zoning in the borough, the 14 acre property could be developed with 20 to 25 single family homes, accomplished with an extension of Linden Avenue through the property. It could also be developed as a school or a church under the R1 zoning, the manager said.

"The reason why my wife and I moved into this area may be completely erased," said an East Street resident who said they moved to Doylestown for Linden. "The safety, the community, the walkability," he said.

"Emotionally I am clearly bias," said resident Andy Gregory. "I've been excited to send my kids to Linden for several years now. Rationally and logically we just need some more transparency here," he said, questioning a study that doesn't take performance of a school into consideration. "We need to see a more holistic review."

Doylestown Township resident Kim Devlin, who has worked at Linden for the past two years, spoke through tears as she described "an amazing school. You have no idea the community that is Linden," she said. "We, as a family, just suffered a tragic loss and when I tell you the building came together and felt the loss with our principal, it was truly heartfelt to see how we all came together, how the students came together.

"Watching the kindergartners come in in the morning and running down the hallway excited to get to class is something you need to see," she said. "You need to feel that love and you'll understand that's more than just a building. It's a home. It's a home for support staff. It's a home for the teachers. It's a home for the students. Linden is not just a school. It's a home."

Resident and parent Devon Gregory said she and her husband moved to the borough so their children could walk to school "which will not be the case where ever they would send our children should this happen.

"There are many things happening right now in the borough that are promoting having children. Right across the street from borough hall they're building a brand new park for children," she said. "There's a lot of money going to Fonthill to make it more walking friendly. It seems like we're simultaneously trying to draw families and pulling the plug on probably the leading reason why young families move to the borough."

Ryan McNamara, who attended Linden, Lenape and West before graduating, said she left the area for about 10 years. "When my husband and I got married and we were looking to move back I couldn't think of raising my child in any other community than Doylestown. "We have such a gem with Linden.

"I understand there are financial implications and enrollment is down. But closing a school chips away at what makes Central Bucks an enviable school district. It also chips away at the culture we have in the borough, the culture of small town Americana, a piece of history that you really can't find anywhere else," she said.

"We're not sore losers or poor sports or want to halt the flow of progress," said resident Noelle Gill. "We just want to make sure this is sound decision-making. If the writing were on the wall that Linden should close, I think we'd be more accepting of that. But it's so very clear there are many unanswered questions. There are a lot of things that don't make sense. And we don't have to close a school. Our numbers are increasing," she said encouraging parents to register their children for kindergarten. "Please register them. That can only help us."

With regard to capacity, Borough Manager Davis noted that there are nearly 300 housing units under construction within 200 yards of this building as we speak. "It's an unprecedented addition of residents. In fact we expect the population of the borough will rise slightly for the first time in about 50 years. In the midst of this, we have no idea if this has been accounted for in the district's numbers. It's something to be aware of. The evidence is all around you."

After listening to Davis' comments, Chairman Bell noted that those living units could produce 12 additional students at Linden. "Just the new housing units alone could change the capacity calculations," he said.

As public comment wrapped up, Bell responded to questions from residents asking what they could do to save their school. "We don't have a silver bullet, but what I've heard from you seem like sound ideas. Organizing. Make sure your voices are heard. Attend school board meetings. Vote for school board and consider running for office. These are long term. There are not quick fixes. It's all the blocking and tackling that eventually gets you to the leadership that you're looking for."

Davis added that one of the asks of the borough council in its letter to the school board "is to have a public process. To have you in a room with them," he said. "We have not received a reply, but hopefully we do receive an answer and that results in the district re-initiating the public process that stopped five months ago. Hopefully that is the next step," he said.