Votes at a glance: Downingtown Area SD board approves contracts, personnel actions and facilities purchases; Title IX rescind motion tabled

The Downingtown Area School District Board on March 12 approved several action items across personnel, curriculum, transportation and facilities during its regular meeting. The board recorded motion outcomes on appointments, contract amendments, purchases and construction change orders. Key votes and outcomes are listed below.

Votes at a glance

- Director of Finance and Operations (contract): The board approved the appointment of Brian Howlett as Director of Finance and Operations with a contract term of July 7, 2025 through June 30, 2030. (Motion seconded; motion carries.)

- Release and settlement agreements (personnel): The board approved two release and settlement agreements for employees identified in the public agenda as employee 21963 and employee 21697. (Motion seconded; motions carry.)

- AVENA contract amendment (curriculum/special services): The board approved an AVENA contract amendment for student numbers 3867193673 and 3495799826. (Motion seconded; motion carries.)

- Transportation contract: The board approved a five‑year student‑transportation contract with Eagle Wolfington Leasing Company covering the 2024–25 through 2028–29 school years, subject to final solicitor review. The contract value announced in the meeting was $5,022,508. (Motion seconded; motion carries.)

- Facilities purchases and change orders: The board approved the purchase of four custodial robots for the district at an amount of $200,000. The board also approved change order GC‑5 for the general contractor at West Bradford Elementary School for rerouting sanitary sewer and realigning a 4‑inch lateral due to unknown site conditions. (Motions seconded; motions carry.)

- Policy motion (Title IX rescind): A motion to rescind the 2024 Title IX regulations (policies referenced as 103, 103.1 and 104 in the agenda) was moved, and the board then voted to table that rescission for further discussion. The motion to table was resolved by roll call. Recorded roll‑call responses in the transcript were: - Director Strowbridge: yes - Director Bertone: no - Vice President Houghton: no - Director Grabb: yes - Director Wisdom: yes - Director Ross: yes - Director Miller: yes - Director Gerthe: no - President Blust: yes The chair announced “Motion carries.” The transcript did not provide a complete named mover/second for the original rescind motion; board members used a roll‑call for the motion to table.

Meeting procedure notes and missing vote details

Many motions were described in the public record as having been moved and seconded and then the chair announced “Motion carries.” For those items the transcript did not record a roll‑call tally or a named mover and seconder in the audio; the public minutes and the formal roll call record (board secretary minutes) will contain the official vote counts. The transportation contract approval specifically included the caveat that final legal review by the district solicitor was pending.

Why this matters: The approved contracts and personnel actions lock in multi‑year financial commitments (the transportation agreement and the Director of Finance contract) and immediate facilities expenditures (custodial robots and sewer change order). The tabling of the Title IX rescind motion indicates the board intends further discussion on that policy matter before taking final action.

Provenance: Each outcome above appears on the public meeting agenda and was announced on the record during the March 12 meeting; several items were approved by voice vote and several by roll call as noted.