Evans City officials and residents are hoping to convince the Seneca Valley School Board to keep the Evans City Elementary and Middle schools in town.

EVANS CITY — Residents of the borough do not want to lose their schools.

As the Seneca Valley School Board nears a decision on the future of the Evans City Elementary and Middle schools, borough officials and residents are hoping to convince the board to keep the schools in town.

Talks about potentially replacing the school have been ongoing for many months, with options limited to paying to repair the existing structure or to replace it with a new one. The new structure would be either at the current location in Evans City or on Ehrman Road at the border of Cranberry and Jackson Townships.

Borough residents in meetings and in online community forums have expressed displeasure at the situation and a desire to see it resolved without losing the schools to the neighboring townships.

Council president Lee Dyer wrote and submitted a letter to the school board on behalf of the borough council. In it he asks them to consider the cultural and economic downside to the town if it were to lose its schools and encourages them to vote to either repair the existing structure or to rebuild the schools at the current location.

After Dyer read the letter Monday, those at meeting applauded in support. Mayor Dean Zinkhann encouraged those in the room to attend the next meeting and make their voices heard.

“Next Monday is the school board meeting,” he said. “If you can make it we'd certainly appreciate that and to speak your piece there.”

Read the full story in the Butler Eagle.