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LH Council discusses Dickey’s possible closure

LOCK HAVEN – A talk about the possible closure of Dickey Elementary School was the last thing council discussed during Monday night’s meeting.

Mayor Joel Long brought up the topic and asked council what their thoughts were about the possible closure. Long also asked if the city should send the Keystone Central School District a letter either for or against the closure.

“There is precedent, we have spoken out on issues like this that can affect the city,” Long said.

He referenced the removal of the school district’s football stadium – located behind McDonald’s along Bellefonte Avenue – that occurred years prior.

“When they were looking at building a new stadium and abandoning Painter Stadium we did send them a letter telling them our first preference was to remain in the city because it brought business,” he said.

Long said his largest concern with the possible closure of Dickey is the effect on property value.

“It has the potential of becoming a big empty building in a residential neighborhood and effecting property values,” he said.

Long also noted the possible affect a closure could have on the tax revenue for the city, school district and county.

Dickey Elementary’s fate has been the topic of discussion for the Keystone Central School Board over the years, the most recent discussions began during a work session on Feb. 7.

It was revealed by board member and facilities committee chair Jeff Johnston that a new transformer located inside the building needed replaced.

PPL told the district they would replace the transformer at a cost of approximately $250,000, Johnston said during the meeting.

The board also heard a facilities report from Crabtree, Rohrbaugh & Associates in January that said the school need several million dollars of renovation to bring it to ADA standards.

The board has a special meeting planned for Feb. 27 at 6:30 p.m. in the Central Mountain High School cafeteria to discuss the closure further.

Two of council’s six members voiced their opinions of the possible closure.

“Obviously we don’t have a say in this but my personal opinion is that it should remain open,” Councilman William “Bill” Mincer said. “It’s a neighborhood school. It’s nice for the kids in that neighborhood to go to and we have lots of families in the hill section whose kids attend that school and can walk there. I think it’s an asset to the community really.”

Mincer also noted the increased classroom sizes in nearby schools such as Robb or Mill Hall elementary schools if the building is closed.

Councilman Richard “Rick” Conklin didn’t specify his feelings toward the possible closure but did refute some of Mincer’s statements.

“I know what you guys are saying and it’s coming from the heart and I understand that but I come from a community where they closed the school that was easily walkable, most kids walked there,” Conklin, who grew up in Castenea, said.

“Flemington went through the same thing, Woolrich went through the same thing. It doesn’t destroy a community because the community are the people not the school,” he continued. “Frankly there are many cases where – not where I come from of course – but I wouldn’t want the school to define the community.”

No other members of council voiced their opinions on the possible closure and council did not vote on whether to bring any concerns or opinions to the Keystone Central School Board.

All members of council were present for Monday night’s meeting.

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