Petition filed against DCSC project
By Kevin Schnepp Staff writer

A "petition requesting the application of a petition and remonstrance process" regarding Delphi Community School Corporation's 2008 Facility Renovation Project was submitted Friday to the Carroll County Clerk's Office.

According to clerk Laura Sterrett, a total of 119 unverified signatures were listed on the forms. The deadline to file a petition was April 18.

Indiana law states those who oppose a school corporation's plans to issue bonds for contruction projects have 30 days to file a petition against the action. DCSC posted a legal notice in the March 12 edition of the Comet which stated it resolved to issue bonds to borrow up to $20,465,000 for renovations at all four schools in the district.

Sterrett said state law mandates once her office received the petition she had 15 days to verify names before she sent it to the auditor. As of Tuesday, four days after receiving the forms, the first segment of verification was almost complete.

"There are a few items I asked for clarification on from state officials," Sterrett said. "I plan to present the forms to the auditor's office Wednesday (today), provided I receive responses to my questions."

DCSC Superintendent Ralph Walker said at this point the corporation could only wait for the petition to be verified before he and the school board decide how to proceed. By law the clerk and auditor each have set numbers of days to verify names on the petition, not to exceed 35 days total.

"At this point we have to wait for the clerk to initiate the (petition verification) process," he said. "It does look as though they have the required amount of signatures, but we will have to wait and see after it is verified."

Walker said the school board would address the petition at its next regular meeting, scheduled for May 12 at 7 p.m. in the corporation office. He said at that time the board will choose either to cancel the proposed project or fight the petition through a remonstrance process if the petition is verified.

"Probably at the May 12 board meeting the board will have to make a decision whether to go forth with the project," he said. "If they do there will be a re-advertisement (in the Comet). Then there is a 30-day waiting period from when it is advertised. The remonstrance petition drive, which would follow the re-advertisement, is limited to a 60- day period. The entire process should take about six months."