A proposed Lehighton Area School District elementary center remains a divisive issue and dominated the public comment portion of a school board meeting this week.

It's the second time in a month that residents, teachers and board members have used the forum to make their feelings on the project known.The district has been moving forward with plans to build the school, which would house all kindergarten through fifth grade students, and close the existing East Penn, Franklin, Mahoning and Shull-David elementary buildings.David Hauser, a Lehighton High School teacher, was one of many who were upset at the notion of closing four schools in a tight-knit community setting."When my wife and I bought our house in this district, we bought it for Mahoning Elementary," Hauser said Monday. "We invested over $100,000 in a home and my gut reaction was that I was perturbed at the notion of the school being closed. Over the last year I have come to board meetings and listened to the presentations by administration. My opinion has changed. I've spoken to the elementary principals and I trust them to make this elementary center work."Superintendent Jonathan Cleaver said Monday that the district continues to work with Pennsylvania's Department of Education on the planning process that would allow Lehighton to receive reimbursement for the school. Most recently, PDE gave Lehighton approval for parts D and E of that process, which deal with estimated costs for the project and design development.In September, Lehighton voted to borrow $32.5 million to pay for the elementary center.OppositionTaxpayers opposing the schools have expressed concern that the building will cost more than the estimated $32.5 million and that fixing the four elementary schools would be a more fiscally responsible option.Several board members agree."I hate to tell you, but this elementary center project is going to cost every bit of $40 million," William Hill said after the majority of his fellow board members voted to borrow the money in September. "This can spiral out of control. The elementary center design is conceptual at this point. Nobody can sit here and tell me we won't raise taxes in 30 years."Dave Bradley, a district resident who has repeatedly spoken out against the decision to build a new school, called it a travesty Monday night that the issue wasn't put to a voter referendum."This board put together a task force that recommended the elementary schools stay open," Bradley said. "You should listen to the people and you do not."When EI Associates, the district's architectural firm, unveiled a preliminary design of the building in August, it showed a 146,000-square-foot building. The building would be set up with the K-2 primary classrooms on one end of the building and the 3-5 elementary classrooms on the other side. Core areas would be centrally located.The gymnasium, stage and cafeteria would be back-to-back-to-back in the school.Two large group instruction rooms would seat 100 students.The building would likely have one media center with separate reading and instruction areas for the primary and elementary students."It would almost certainly be aesthetically pleasing, but the education, that's a gamble," resident Robert Dages told the board. "You're breaking the middle class. There is a lot of despair around here and you're contributing to it. I think you can do better with people's money."Thomas Merkel, at a Nov. 9 workshop, expressed concern about a $63 million debt service brought on by the borrowing for the elementary center."This is no longer a democracy," he said. "There should have been a referendum."SupportNewcomers Byron Arner, Marianne Dwyer and Richard Beltz will join the board in December. According to their pre-election advertisements, Arner, Dwyer and Beltz said they will not support a new elementary center in the district and instead favor renovation of the four existing elementary schools.With the majority school board opinion on a new elementary in flux after the most recent general election, supporters of the project stepped forward Monday to express their hope for progress to continue on the project."I challenge the new board to keep the wheels of progress turning," said Bonnie Cortese, Lehighton resident and former district employee. "If you stop progress now, you will cost the taxpayers more money. The community has let one person skew their opinion. I ask the new board to have an open mind and work together as a team for the sake of our future."Cortese also cited consolidation savings, an expected $1.2 million, which Cleaver has highlighted as one of the benefits of bringing all students under one roof.More than the money, however, supporters are banking on an educational benefit for Lehighton students."Right now you have an intervention specialist who may spend three days at Franklin Elementary and then go to East Penn or one of the other schools," said Dave Krause, former board member. "Imagine if that person could just walk down a hall and reach more students each day."Board member Wayne Wentz agreed in his assessment of the project in October."When I looked at the bills for four elementary schools, the faculty driving from building to building and students bussed from building to building, I saw what a consolidation will save the taxpayers," Wentz said. "What do we do with the students and staff if we choose to renovate the existing schools? In three years we could have an elementary center and we are guaranteeing no teachers will lose their job as a result of the move. Tell me another business that could guarantee you that."While Larry Stern, Rocky Ahner and Lori Nothstein have attended their last meeting, Stephen Holland will be one of the six remaining board members. Holland was stern Monday in his support of the elementary center."There have been a few nonbelievers who want to shoot off their mouth and spread whatever they want to spread," he said. "This is all about progress. One room classrooms don't make it anymore either. We moved to elementary schools and now the move is to one elementary center. We're not going back to a horse and buggy. The future is now, not tomorrow or next week."