The Brookings-Harbor School Board may have voted against the charter school proposal Tuesday night, but the fight is not over for Riverside Charter Academy.

Board members and Riverside Charter Academy project director Annette Klinefelter-Dingle each had a different response when asked about the next steps.

“We are awaiting the written notice regarding the board’s action, and their suggested remedial actions for the proposal,” Klinefelter-Dingle said. ‘We have every belief that once we resubmit the proposal based on the suggested remedial measures that they’ll approve it.”

 However, board member Bob Horel said that, before the board can move forward, a dispute on whether the board voted on the proposal needs to be resolved first. 

“Ultimately we’re going to have to have some legal advice,” Horel said.

He said advice could come from an Oregon School Boards Association (OSBA) attorney, or the Brookings-Harbor School District attorney.

He is unsure when the issue could be resolved.

According to board chair Jamie Ryan, the ball is in Riverside’s court.

“The next step in the process is entirely up to them,” she said. “We have given them a response with the denial of the first proposal, and a letter of what needs to be fixed in the proposal.”

Ryan said Riverside can either resubmit a revised proposal to the board in 20 days, or go to the state.

But board vice-chair Carol Slewing is not so sure. She said  the board is not required to do anything until the charter school acts. She said at some point the board will have to hear an appeal.

Slewing also said that to her knowledge the board has not yet given the planning team the required written response. 

Horel, Ryan and Slewing are not sure what the likelihood is that Riverside will be approved.

“I just don’t have a sense of what that probability is,” Horel said. “I think it’s a good proposal. I think the issue is, how do you implement a proposal in a way that provides the district sufficient money to run a good program.”

 “It’s very difficult to say,” Ryan said. “There are so many things that could happen. I really couldn’t say.” 

“After the last board meeting, I think it’s questionable,” Slewing said. “I think some board members weren’t clear what they were voting on, that was obvious in the end, and it has been decided that vote is final. How it comes back, I guess it would be how it’s presented to the board and if they have more facts.”

Klinefelter-Dingle is not certain, but thinks there’s a good chance that the school will be approved. 

“I don’t have a crystal ball, but, based on the majority of the board members’ willingness to compromise, I think there’s a good chance” that Riverside will be approved, Klinefelter-Dingle said.