VIDEO: Vote to Approve Mays Chapel Elementary Postponed

The Baltimore County Board of Education postponed a vote on construction of a 700-seat elementary school in Mays Chapel Tuesday night, following a discussion between board members and the board's legal counsel.

Instead, a public hearing has been scheduled for 6 p.m. on March 19 at Loch Raven High School in Towson. (UPDATED)

The new Mays Chapel elementary school would be built at the current site of Mays Chapel Park at 12550 Roundwood Rd. on land that the school district already owns, and had been acquired for future use as a school site.  The land is currently being used as a passive recreation park with walking paths, according to the county's website.

 announced the postponement of its vote and that a public hearing will be held on March 19 prior to Tuesday night's public comment during which nine residents voiced their reasons for supporting and opposing building the school in Mays Chapel. Two representatives from Towson Families United were strongly in favor of building the school, while seven speakers were against it.

Watch the video for a snapshot of Tuesday night's proceedings.

Yara Cheikh and Cathi Forbes—both long-time fighters against overcrowding in county schools and members of the community group Towson Families United—urged the board to approve construction in Mays Chapel.

Both have been education advocates in Towson and Timonium for years pressing officials for, among others.

"Carver is not an option for these kids. is not an option for these kids," Cheikh said referring to other elementary schools. "Mays Chapel site is the option that will alleviate overcrowding in the surrounding area.

Forbes, who joked that she has made school overcrowding issues "a full-time hobby" since 2007, insisted that Mays Chapel would be an effective long-term solution to .

Meanwhile, local Mays Chapel residents—largely composed of senior citizens—vehmently opposed construction.

The seven speakers in opposition echoed similar sentiments:

• Timonium would lose precious open space that could be enjoyed by the elderly and the young alike.
• There aren't enough elementary school aged students in Mays Chapel to make an impact.
• The school would effectively become a commuter school pulling students out other neighborhoods and severing ties to their own communities. 

The speakers, brandishing "Save Mays Chapel Park" signs, contended that they weren't against a new school—just not in their backyards.

Eric Rockel, president of the Greater Timonium Community Council, began by acknowledging that a public hearing would have made the proceedings a "friendlier atmosphere."

"The reason why we're seeing this magnitude or turnout tonight is because there was no public input from/with the community prior to a decision coming before the board for a vote," Rockel said addressing the board.

Rockel questioned the board as to whether or not all options have been carefully considered and if the total impact of the new school has been explored. (See the video for Rockel's full statement.)

You can read an additional recap of the meeting from the Towson Time's Jon Meoli here.

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