The Act 34 hearing for Goodnoe Elementary renovations was held before the Council Rock School Board of Directors and the community Thursday night.

Act 34 only applies to new construction and is a required element in the renovation process. It allows both the board and the public to take an abbreviated look at the project, its costs and its benefits to the district.

Parents and concerned citizens lined up to voice both their praise and suggested modifications for the project, which has not even gone to bidders yet. It is the third in a series of renovation projects Council Rock has undergone in the past few years, the first being Churchville Elementary, which was recently completed.

Newtown resident Nancy Carroll, who has frequently voiced her objections to expanding Goodnoe in the past, said she is not against the renovation.

In a recent Bucks County Courier Times letter to the editor, Carroll suggests that the district is preparing to close two of its elementary schools, but Superintendent Mark Klein said no such thing is happening.

"There's nothing that is happning in Goodnoe that should [make you] believe that we’re closing schools in Council Rock," he said. "Nothing at Goodnoe warrants or suggest that any (school) in the district will close in the foreseeable future."

Carroll agreed that the renovations would be positive.

"Money spent to maintain assets and keep schools warm, safe and dry is ... public money well spent," Carroll said.

Another resident likened Goodnoe's status to that of a neglected child.

"If there were a school component to No Child Left Behind, Goodnoe would be a school left behind," said Rosemary Wuenschel, from Newtown.

Along with many of the other speakers, Wuenschel agreed that it is time for upgrades to the property that has most structures built in either 1963 or 1989.

A few parents said the alternate bid of adding an additional two classrooms and a stage were neceessary components. However, Klein explained that because the main goal of the project is to remove the modular units outside the building, there will be no actual gain of instructional space.

"It is imperative that we continue to do this ... to remove these modulars, bring kids inside and create a new environment that will be ready for our kids for the next 20 years," Klein said.

David Schrader, of Schrader Group Architecture, and financial advisor Zach Williard took time to explain both the structural adjustments and monetary impact that the project would have. 

Renovations would include new roofing; a new heating, ventilation and air conditioning system (HVAC); and plumbing, electrical and architectural upgrades.

The maximum project cost would be $13,101,917. Board member Jerold Grupp noted that while some community members had expressed to him they thought the district should tear down and rebuild, it is inconceivable that a project of that magnitude would also cost less than $14 million.

Members of the public have until Mar. 1 to submit written comments about the project to the board.