The Montgomery Area School District will move forward with the construction of a new junior/senior high school centered around the Montgomery Area Athletic & Community Center (MAACC), 537 Old Road, after the district and Clinton Township Supervisors were able to come to an agreement that allowed the supervisors to sign off on their land development plan.

The agreement was signed off on by the school board during a special meeting Thursday night, the only no votes coming from members Holly Wertz and Roger McCrae.

Several outstanding issues were resolved as part of the agreement that had been tied up in litigation following a ruling by Lycoming County Judge William Carlucci last year that struck down several conditions of approval that the supervisors had placed upon the district. Following Carlucci’s decision, the township appealed the decision to the Commonwealth Court.

As part of the agreement, the district agreed to pay a voluntary contribution of $440,140.35 to the township, who will use the funds to design and install a pedestrian walking path within the right-of-way of Old Road from the northern side of Grandview Road across the street from the District property line and a secondary emergency access drive to point at the bridge at Pinchtown Road.

Once completed, the district will cover the costs to install solar lamp post lights along the walking path and along Old Road, which will be activated only when approached by individuals utilizing the path.

The district also agreed to increase the radii of the bus driveway across from Grandview Road in order to allow buses to turn right onto Old Road without crossing into the opposing lane of traffic. Additionally, the area will be staffed during bus arrival and dismissal times, and a sign will be posted informing buses that they may turn right only south on Old Road.

In turn, the township and district will form a committee to partner in the exploration of possible improvements to the intersection of Route 54, Brouse Road and Old Road. The district will contribute up to $30,000.00 towards the improvements. This stipulation will only be in effect for up to two years following the completion of the project, at which point the district will be free of this obligation.

The two will also share ownership and operation of street signs, including the flashing school speed zone signs, which the district will either take the lead on maintenance and repair of, or reimburse the township for the costs to repair and maintain them.

The district is also required to come to an agreement with the Montgomery Water Authority so that the waterline serving the property does not exist within the cartway or right-of-way of Old Road and that the District be permitted.

As a result of the agreement, the district will take no further legal action and the township will move to have its appeal at the Commonwealth Court withdrawn, the agreement said. Though if additional legal action is taken by either party, they will be required to pay the legal fees of the non-initiating party.

“Together, we worked with the township. We feel this is a nice agreement to make sure that the safety of our students is addressed on Old Road and allows us to move forward with the junior/senior high school,” Superintendent Daphne Bowers said, following the ratification of the agreement.