QV Taxpayer Group Works to Raise Awareness

A group of concerned taxpayers is working hard to raise awareness about a school district plan to build a bus turnaround and parking lot next to the .

The  recently met at the for the second time in two weeks in an effort to organize in opposition of district plans they say are a waste of taxpayer money.

The group elected officers at Tuesday's meeting and distributed fliers that spell out the core mission, concerns and calls to action. Plans are to advertise and distribute more fliers in order to galvanize support. The group is seeking community members to email board members and to attend school board meetings, starting Sept. 18. They are also seeking volunteers to run for school board election.

Sewickley resident Pat Happe said the issue should resonate with all taxpayers. At a prior meeting, the group decided to change its name from  for this reason. 

"We need to put a face on this," Happe said. "When I talk to my friends in Sewickley, they haven't quite caught it." 

The school district has and is in discussions with a third property owner, the largest and closest property to the school. The district's conceptual plan is to build a drop-off location, parking lot and bus turnaround to resolve ongoing outside the high school. 

School officials have said the money comes from the capital fund, set aside for capital improvement projects, not the district's budgeted general fund. 

But Tom Michael, an attorney who lives in , said leaky roofs, mold problems at the high school and other such improvement issues should have higher priority.

"The question is the wisdom of the use," he said. "I don't think it's very wise at all. We don't need to spend that money buying some house." 

Results of a , paid for by the district, are set to be revealed sometime this fall.

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To see a copy of the flier, click the PDF attached to this article.