By MICHAEL DIVITTORIO, Daily News Staff WriterHomestead officials have agreed on a settlement proposal which would change the Steel Valley School District's board of director's election system.
Currently, all nine school board members are elected at-large. That could change by the end of this month. The proposal establishes three voting districts, with one seat elected from each district and six at-large.
Homestead council unanimously approved the settlement at Thursday night's meeting. Council Vice President Lynette Mariner, Councilwoman Susan Titmus and councilmen Jonathan Stewart, Donald Purifoy and the Rev. Donald Turner were present and voted in favor.
Those absent were President Drew Borcik and councilors Jack Myers, Marvin Brown and Georgianetta Miller. Turner said a prayer after the Pledge of Allegiance for Borcik, Myers and Miller, who were dealing with health issues. There was no explanation given for Brown's absence.
Homestead officials filed a petition with the Allegheny County courts attempting to establish a "2-2-2 system," giving residents from Homestead, West Homestead and Munhall a guaranteed two-seat representation on the school board.
The 1-1-1 system settlement proposal was made in late December after months of negotiations, Homestead solicitor Bernie Schneider explained.
The three proposed voting districts are set up in the following manner: one is comprised of Homestead and wards 9, 1, 2 and 3 of Munhall; a second with West Homestead and wards 4 and 5 of Munhall; and a third comprised of Munhall's remaining wards.
District 1 would have more than 4,500 resident; District 2 would have more than 3,300 residents; and District 3 would have almost 4,200.
Homestead Mayor Betty Esper said she's not entirely happy with the agreement, but wants to move forward.
"We're just going along with the flow," she said. "Why should we be happy? We pay taxes. We're going along with it. They're not giving us that board (seat), we have to run for that board ... It doesn't give us the seats. It gives us an advantage."
"It ought to make the election interesting," Mariner said. "We'll have at least one person on it, so that will be a good thing."
Stewart encourages borough residents to take an active role in the district election process in order to ensure a voice from the borough is heard.
"We have to be active politically," he said.
