On Wednesday, March 4, 2015, the Royalton-Hartland School Board of Education voted 4-2 to approve the first phase of remediation of the school yard. Phase 1 will involve only the field hockey field in the south east section of the school behind the Junior High school. Work will begin the latter half of June.
Before the vote was taken most of the board members expressed concerns over the project. Board member Sandra Hoerner expressed concern for the cost and benefit. Jeffrey Waters wondered about the soil at the Gasport school and samples taken there. He asked why children at Gasport were less important than those in Middleport. Sara Fry was concerned over the timing and rush to make a decision to proceed. Daniel Bragg had the most concerns mentioning the rush to make a decision, the fact the EPA is no longer involved, the ongoing law suits between FMC and the Agencies and what happens when they are resolved and he did not like the arm twisting put on the Board by the State Education Department. He summed it up saying this is all being done just to grow some grass and mentioned Mr. Bruno Pacini who coached and spent more years than anybody on the athletic fields at the school but still plays a good game of golf today. Superintendent Dr. Klatt wants to be able to approve the work plan when it becomes available. Patricia Riegle sympathized with the concerns of the other board members but expressed her concern that if they did not approve the work, the State Education Department would not approve any emergency repairs or capital builds. The board has been told the school property is red flagged and the State Education Department would not approve such activity until the flag is removed.
In the end the vote was Riegle, Hoerner, Fry and Keith Bond voting yes to proceed, with Bragg and Waters voting no. Board member Kenneth Koch was absent from the meeting.
