Some people want a new middle school built at any cost.

            Some people want a new middle school built, but not at $56+ million.

            Some people want the existing middle school renovated.

            Some people want sidewalks along Montgomery Avenue for student safety.

            Some people don't think safety is an issue because there haven't been any incidents in that area since the high school opened nearly 50 years ago.

            Some people think Upper Hanover Township should pay for the sidewalks.

            Some people think the School District should pay for the sidewalks.

            Some people will believe anything the last person tells them – regardless of reality.

            Some people only believe facts they agree with.

            And, you always have a few, ahem, people who take a partisan view to everything no matter what the facts are.  Want sidewalks – you're against the new middle school.  School first, sidewalks last – you're don't care about the safety of the students.

            The answer lies somewhere in a negotiated settlement.

            It is a complex issue involving lots of money and some people are making things more complex by the duel message they send to officials – that is, "approve it now but make sure it is safe for our children."

            Define "safe."  If there's 20 people talking, there will be 20 different answers.  What is needed is to get them to agree.

            Listening to recent comments from people regarding the state-of-the-middle school I thought it might be a good idea to summarize and bring readers up-to-date.

            Upper Hanover Planning Commission officials gave condition approval for construction of a new middle school in the township.  It is safe to believe that if school district officials agree to the conditions, Upper Hanover Supervisors will sign off on the "Conditional Use."

            Back in December, Upper Perkiomen School District Officials appealed the conditions set forth by the Upper Hanover Planning Commission.  One of the sticking points is that a municipality can't force a developer to make improvements on somebody else's property.  Upper Hanover was looking for sidewalks along Montgomery Avenue, on property that didn't belong to the school.

            Four separate parties filed petitions to "intervene" or become a party to the court action in the case of the appeal.  All are neighbors, including the borough of Pennsburg, of the proposed school site.

            Solicitors for both sides thought they had an agreement last month.  School District officials even voted to accept the agreement.  Problem was, nobody told the Upper Hanover Supervisors and when they found out, they said no.  It's a good bet that the sidewalk stipulation was altered or not included in the agreement by the lawyers.  We don't know at this point.

            Last week school district officials voted to withdraw their appeal of the conditional land use decision.  Without any further negotiations or agreements between the two parties, sidewalks could be limited to the school property only (roughly, 300' south of Eighth Street.) 

            The petitions to intervene could become mute because there will be no court appeal to intervene in.

            Next up, a decision by Upper Hanover Supervisors.  It could be tabled if negotiations are continuing. 

            The sidewalk issue seems to be the main unsettled issue.