School Merger Details Revealed In Pennsbury-Morrisville

FALLSINGTON, PA —It all comes down to finances and factors.

The Pennsbury-Morrisville Merger Feasibility Study presented by Public Financial Management to more than 100 people who attended Tuesday night's presentation.

While many of the 10 people who spoke at the special meeting dismissed the three scenarios in PFM's 161-page report, others raised questions about finances and factors involving school buildings, transportation, renovations and the size of the school board.

Of the three scenarios, one is a merger in which all Morrisville students would be educated by the Pennsbury School District.

There are two other tuition scenarios: Morrisville sends its students in grades 3-12 to Pennsbury’s schools or students in grades 6-12 to Pennsbury.

The Pennsbury School Board did not vote on the options at the special meeting and no timetable has been given in terms of when a decision might be made.

"It seems like this board is wise enough not to make a decision on this for quite a while," said Peter LaChance, a 30-year Lower Makefield Township resident who has three Pennsbury graduates in his family. "Hopefully, you won't make a decision until the assumptions become facts. There's been a lot of bombast. There needs to be more understanding."

PFM's Dean Kaplan told the school board and audience Tuesday night that PFM projected the scenarios over the next 10 years, stating that Pennsbury should have a positive $2.15 million cash flow over the last four years with a merger.

He said the tuition options would have Pennsbury saving even more money after costs for extra staffing and buses. Kaplan said Morrisville would have greater financial stability, but not be totally free of debt.

Kaplan said the merger for Morrisville involves a number of factors: Employment, enrollment, buildings, busing, and the school board's size.

He said Morrisville has a "senior teacher core" so the "assumptions are very sensitive to staffing."

He also said Morrisville is a "walking district" and doesn't bus students.

One resident brought up busing. Pennsbury has been plagued this year with late bus arrivals.

Donna Abressa, a district school bus driver for nearly 30 years, said the district has been "very short-staffed" on bus drivers for the past six years.

"Where will you get these 18 bus drivers," she said. "If there's a magical place of bus drivers and unicorns, take me there. Nobody wants these jobs. Bus drivers are hard to come by. I don't think we will find them."

Kaplan said that state law means that both school district would combine their nine-member boards to have 18 members.

"That's not workable for Pennsbury," Kaplan said. "There needs to be some sort of agreement to make it a workable structure."

Resident Allyn Barth, in her comments to the board, expressed concerns about the board's makeup. She said if Pennsbury makes up 91 percent of the population and 94.5 percent of the tax revenue, then it should have the most membership representation.

"It doesn't seem to be equitable," she said. "We need to scrutinize this a little better."

Kaplan said two roofs at Morrisville's schools would need to be fixed if they are used in a merger.

Robert Abrams of Lower Makefield Township questioned the work needed at the Morrisville schools.

Abrams, who served on feasibility committee of residents from Pennsbury and Morrisville, told the audience that he had asked Kaplan for information on whether there was asbestos abatement needed in Morrisville’s Grandview Elementary or Morrisville Middle / High School, but was not provided any.

Abrams said any asbestos abatement would make renovations expensive.

He also called for more committees and focus groups.

“They need to be assembled immediately," Abrams said.

Former Pennsbury School Director Howard Goldberg, of Lower Makefield Township, said the report is a starting point.

"It appears favorable for Morrisville and least favorable to Pennsbury," he said. "None of the scenarios presented are best for Pennsbury."