Improvements To North Penn Voted Down In Special Election

LANSDALE, PA — Residents of the North Penn School District area have declined to invest further in the high school renovation and expansion project, voting no on the referendum that appeared on ballots. The decision means that 9th grade will be kept separate from the high school.

The "special election," held on Tuesday Jan. 16., drew 18,634 residents out to vote. A total of 7,844 voted yes to the investments, and 10,790 voted no. The question was posed as below:

"Shall debt in the sum of $97,318,376 dollars for the purpose of financing new construction that includes space for ninth grade students to be educated on campus and renovations of North Penn High School be authorized to be incurred as debt approved by the electors?"

While results are unofficial and military and overseas ballots are still being tabulated, North Penn leaders are confident enough in what they've seen so far and to essentially declare "no" the winner.

"The only way you can respond at this point is that the community has spoken, right?" Superintendent Todd Bauer said. "This is the truest form of democracy."

Some leaders were more vocal in their disapproval.

"While the 'no' vote may have been a small victory for the North Penn taxpayer … the real losers are the educators, children and parents – like me, that wanted the 9th grade moved into the High School," North Penn school board director candidate Vince Altieri told Patch.

Altieri said that the board and Bauer prioritized an open spaces agenda ahead of this vote.

"This group of leaders had 6 years to get this right …and this is exactly why political monopolies are bad for North Penn," he added. "I am hopeful that the BODs are mindful of what message this vote has sent them and that they accept responsibility for their mistakes that will impact generations to come."

The renovations that would have been funded by the vote have the largest impact on 9th graders. The district will still move forward with more limited renovations for 10th to 12th graders, although an exact plan is yet to be determined.