Ellwood City Area School District Superintendent Dr. Wesley Shipley announced during Monday’s board of director’s committee meeting that although the district is moving forward with tests and studies on the proposed area for the new girls softball field at the old Ewing Park School site, they are still far away from the building permits and zoning process.
Shipley said workers have been at the site to do topographical studies and to take core samples and water perk tests. He urged residents in the area, specifically speaking directly to the Citizens for Ewing Park Preservation (CEPP) group to not approach workers with questions and threats. He said he had been told that workers were approached and offered a bribe to alter the tests, that someone had threatened to put endangered snake skins on the property.
“You have every right to come here to speak, but that is taking it too far,” he said. “When you start to confront workers, you are walking on a thin line of disorderly conduct.”
Shipley said the district will not stand for any threats and that a police report was filed regarding the alleged incident.
Karen Mancini, of Beatty Street, and a representative of CEPP said that no such behavior is tolerated in the CEPP group.
“That’s not something that we do,” she said. “We do not threaten people. We represent people.”
During the public comment period, Emily Denome of Wood Street, continued to speak out against the proposed softball field, and what she believes is a lack of input from area residents regarding it. She said she has been in touch with the Pa State Board of Education and that the board has a responsibility to get guidance and input from the public when making decisions.
“This board does not do that,” she said.
A regular meeting of the ECASD Board of Directors will be held at 7 p.m. on Thursday, March 14, at Perry Lower Intermediate School in the multi-purpose room. Prior to the meeting, the district will host an open house from 5:00 – 7:00 PM on Thursday, March 14, 2024 to show the results of the recent renovations to the public. A ribbon cutting will occur at 6:45 in the main entrance. The public is invited to view the school building and to stay for the public board meeting that will follow.
2 elderly women with camereas, workers approached us to ask what we were doing. We told them taking pictures. No one was threatened no bribes talked about.