New board halts Blairsville-Saltsburg school consolidation

Blairsville-Saltsburg School Board, with a new five-member majority of Saltsburg-area representatives, voted this week to halt a controversial high school consolidation project pursued by the previous board.

[blairsville resident]

outrage, the schools need a combined school. they can not afford to keep going the way they are. all i can say is do the right thing and fix the schools in a whole and don't fix one side. think of the students not yourselves

[Former Saltsburger]

I went to Saltsburg High School. It was perfectly fine when the school board favored the Blairsville Schools. Now that the shoe is on the other foot, the Blairsville residents are bitching because they might get dumped on. Now Blairsville may have insight as to what Saltsburg students have been feeling for years. How is taking a local school away from Saltsburg students going to help them? The Saltsburg students DO NOT want to go to Blairsville. Not everyone wants to flock to Blairsville just because you think it's better. Maybe Saltsburg will get a Wal-Mart!

[Ranger]

How long until the new Saltsburg members start arbitrarily voting against anything for Blairsville?

[Tell it like it is]

I am concerned that the new board will be so focused on anti-consolidation they may not be able to impartially look at all the alternatives. No disrespect for SOS, they fought for what they believed in, but as with any organization that is extremely passionate about their cause, they can become blinded zealots if they are not careful.

And this should not be a case of Saltsburg versus Blairsville residents, but a case of what is best for all the students.

[BLAIRSVILLE RESIDENT]

Sorry Blairsville does not need Saltsburg to stay open. Saltsburg does not have a big enough tax basis to keep its own school in it's town. That is not Blairsvilles fault. So, why should our schools be hurt because of their low tax basis? Why should Saltsburg feel Blairsville owes them anything? Our tax basis keeps YOUR schools open. Not the other way around.

[wal-mart in saltsburg]

that is so true. blairsville residents pay about 70 percent of the school taxes raise every year for this district. no saltsburg doesn't owe the residents of blairsville nothing, but take that 70 percent away from saltsburg what would be left for saltburg to survive on. remember the residents of blairsville didn't come up with this plan.it was the then sorry and forever sorry school board. ego of so called educated adults are getting in the way of the students. it won't matter who has control of the school board they will let their ego get in the way. just remember in small towns who can get away with crap the school boards was and will try to pull. let them act like they do in the big city.

[JAM]

In a flyer that was circulating Blairsville the following information was printed.....

Blairsville pays 66% taxes, Saltsburg pays 34%
Blairsville has 61% of students, Saltsburg 39%
Blairsville uses 59% of the budget, Saltsburg 41%

So come on people do the math....Blairsville may pay more in taxes(32%), they also have more students(22%),so they are paying 10% more than they should...Then figure in the 18% more in spending..that 8% comes from where, maybe Saltsburg?

Don't even try to claim that Blairsville pays for Saltsburg, we have been sinking money into your "campus" for years, and still owe over 16 million. Saltsburg just wants a safe environment for their children, and have been denied that for years, we were just fed up and now we are going to do something about it!

[BLAIRSVILLE RESIDENT]

No smarty pants, Saltsburg can not afford to run on its own. Your money does not touch our campus, but our money goes to your school and covers our campus. What Saltsburg doesn't generate, Blairsville has to make up. Why do you think the State would not let seperation happen? Not because Blairsville can't afford to do so, Saltsburg can't survive on it's own. Saltsburg had to have a school agree to take them, not Blairsville. So, do the math, Blairsville pays more and suffer because we have to pay for 2 schools, not 1.

[JAM]

Face the facts...numbers don't lie.

Saltsburg is the school that is up for any type of reimbursement from the state, not Blairsville. All the old school board wanted to do was use it toward building more there. Just admit that you can't stand that Saltsburg will finally get something toward their school. And it's about time. We don't want the 'pretty campus' we want a safe environment and educational tools for our kids.

Look who's whining now...it's not fair!

[Ranger]

How about the fact that Saltsburg bitches and moans about not having enough representation only to get too much! They sued and got their way...I'm now starting SOS-Blairsville and we'll take those hoopies at their own game.

[JAM]

Actually the representatives were voted in...with Region 2 consisting of 2/3 of the population from Burell/Blairsville. We never would have gotten 2 places on the board without votes from 'your' area. Guess the people in that area were sick of the representatives you had too. Or maybe don't want the consolidation. We lived with the unfair representation of the school board for years and years...let's see how you deal with it now.

[JAM]

The representation was voted on...not only by Saltsburg school area, but 2/3 of that was Burell/Blairsville. Thank you we never would have gotten these representatives without your votes. Obviously the voters in the area were either tired of the representatives they had, or possibly didn't want the consolidation. Saltsburg has been dealing with this misrepresentation for years...now the shoes on the other foot.
Here's to hoping you have years to enjoy it too!

[I know better]

I think everyone should concentrate on the kids and put the adult bickering aside (and I use the term 'adult' in reference to age not behavior, bickering aside).

[Ranger]

No, it was more of a fact that Blairsville voters just didnt show up. Dont get cocky.

[Ranger]

It's not Blairsville against consolidation, it's not even the majority of Saltsburg...it's just the ones the have the biggest mouths.

[Ranger]

I'll give you my facts before you try and put up a faulty argument.
Region II is Black Lick (562 votes cast), Burrell 1 (505 cast), Conemaugh 2 (529 cast) of which 461 were the write-ins. In the Blairsville regions, the Blairsville candidates won...but I'll give credit where it's due, Conemaugh showed up, I'm not sure how many registered there are, but 529 is a good showing, and THAT is why they won.

http://www.countyofindiana.org/Elect/default....

[I know better]

Ranger wrote:

No, it was more of a fact that Blairsville voters just didnt show up. Dont get cocky.

Then that's their fault, not Saltsburg's (and no, I am not choosing sides), but voter apathy has become a big problem around here. I believe that the general population feels that they cannot make a difference so why bother. That is obvious in the Saltsburg council race, or lack there of.

[JAM]

Wow...I thought VOTING was the majority wins. You know the one (or ones) with the most votes.

According to your post 'it's the ones with the biggest mouths?' Now why didn't we think of that earlier.

Sorry it's not being 'cocky' either....just stating the truth, with maybe a little sarcasm.

[Ranger]

I'm not saying at all it is or isn't anybody's fault. But FACT is, it was low turnout that won you your seats. Blairsville won their elections with fewer numbers than Saltsburg won their's. But to say you won (and let's face it, neither of those two's opinions are set in stone) because Burrell residents are opposed to consolidation is wrong.

[discussed]

Ranger wrote:

No, it was more of a fact that Blairsville voters just didnt show up. Dont get cocky.

Where do you get your information!! try doing to the courthouse (voters registration) if Blairsville didn't vote it was because they didn't care and the ones that did vote showed their disagreement with the consolation and showed their opinion