District officials commit to installing sidewalks near proposed middle school

            Upper Perkiomen School District and Upper Hanover Township could resolve conditional use issues related to the proposed new middle school on Thursday.

            Municipal officials will hold a special meeting at 5 p.m.  April 20 to consider a settlement stipulation approved by district officials related to its land use appeal against the township.   

            "A vote will be taken one way or another," Solicitor Joe Bresnan said during the township's April 12 board of supervisors public meeting. "There won't be any action tonight … It's not for a lack of trying. We're trying to do what is best for everyone involved."

            Supervisors met in executive session for 60 minutes prior to the meeting to discuss the situation, but Bresnan said the elected officials decided to take a few more days for additional negotiations with district representative and four parties seeking to intervene in the case. The intervening parties include Pennsburg Borough, along with Pennsburg residents David Pico and Len Mathews and Upper Hanover resident William Chrisman, all of whom live on Montgomery Avenue.

            Details surrounding the installation of sidewalks along Montgomery Avenue appear to be the source of the ongoing negotiations. However, school board Member Will Pike told supervisors during the public comment period that district officials are committed to taking responsibility for sidewalk installation.      

            "We've always been in favor of this," Pike told the supervisors. "But we've been in negotiations, so we've been quiet about that. We're getting hammered on that, and it's not fair."

            Hosterman told the board that district officials are willing to provide sidewalks along Montgomery Avenue from the site of the proposed school for sixth, seventh and eighth graders all the way to Sixth Street. He estimated that expense, not including land acquisition, at $880,000.

            Pike, who said the board members want a safe walking route for children to the proposed school, lauded the supervisors for their effort. 

            "Let's make this work," he said during the meeting.

            Alexis McGloin, the district's superintendent, told the supervisors she is hopeful the situation will be resolved soon.

            According to Bresnan, township officials have spent several hours in negotiations with representatives from the school district, the residents and the borough.

            "I feel like we're getting closer" to an agreement, he said.

            School district attorney Mark Hosterman expressed hope that the settlement would completely satisfy the concerns of the interveners.