The consolidation proposal before the Butler School Board could be one of the most crucial decisions facing local elected officials in several years.

There’s been scant opposition to the suggestion that the district must shrink its property assets. The district’s 14 buildings — 11 are neighborhood elementary schools — are operating at an average 55 percent capacity because of steady population declines.

So the question isn’t whether or not to consolidate, but rather, to what extent should it consolidate.

A consultant from Pittsburgh, Thomas & Williamson Program Management, has recommended three options, which include closing six or seven elementary schools and reconfiguring grades into a kindergarten through 3 or 4, 4 to 5 through 6, 7 through 9 and 10 through 12 model.

Each of Thomas & Williamson’s recommended plans would close the Broad Street, Center Avenue, Clearfield, Emily Brittain, Meridian, and Oakland elementary schools, while one option also would close Summit. Two plans move grades 4, 5 and 6 to the junior high school building, while one would keep fourth graders at the elementary schools. Under each plan seventh, eighth and ninth graders would attend the intermediate high school; and sophomores, juniors and seniors would attend the high school.

The district is asking residents to participate in an opinion survey about the proposals. The online survey is available on the Master Plan Facilities Study page, basdk12.org/domain/1166 until Nov. 21.

A second proposal has been put forth by a grass-roots organization of parents and other district residents. The Butler Residents for Quality Schools would close four elementary schools along with the junior high school. Their plan would keep the K-6 model while moving seventh and eighth graders to the intermediate high school and moving 10th graders to the senior high.

The group mailed copies of its proposal to board members and school officials ahead of last week’s consolidation hearing, only to have the consultant criticize the proposal before they got a chance to formally present it. Jon Thomas of Thomas & Williamson said more than $6.7 million in one-time construction costs were necessary to add more classrooms to remaining elementary schools under the community group’s plan, but Butler Residents spokesman Kris Paserba said Thomas had not factored in plans to redistrict the elementary schools.

Quality Schools is conducting its own online survey. It’s on the group’s website, butlerk6.com. More than 750 people, including 53 teachers, already have responded.

Surveys are a good measure of existing plans but they’re not good at revealing other ideas. And there has been thus far no statement of support or opposition from the district’s teachers, the city or the chamber of commerce or other community groups. It would seem to be in their interest to speak now about a decision that will affect the entire community for many years to come.

Board President Don Pringle said last week that he’s heard about the consolidation from both sides. “Because you guys are very vocal,” he said to Paserba, “you have invested your children into your schools, and love your schools. That’s wonderful. But there are also people who are silent out there that also grab me on the corner that have no children in the schools and they say to me, we like that you’re trying to do some consolidation.”

Those people and others should be encouraged to speak up during the next consolidation meeting. It’s scheduled for 6 p.m. Nov. 24 at the intermediate high school auditorium.