Supporters of the Woodlan kindergarten-through-12th-grade campus project turned in more petition packets than their opponents by Tuesday’s deadline, according to voter registration officials.

Supporters and opponents of the project had until Tuesday to drop off their signature packets, or counterparts, to Allen County Voter Registration.

Typically, the fate of the $10.8 million project would be determined by which side collected the most valid signatures, which must come from property owners or registered voters within the East Allen County Schools district.

But district board members have said they intend to implement the plan regardless of the outcome of the petition drive. The petition campaign could prevent the district from borrowing money to pay for the project, in which case district officials have said money from its property tax-supported capital projects fund will be used.

The yellow side, or pro side, turned in more than 100 petition packets, according to Barry Schust, Republican voter registration board member. The opposing side, or blue side, turned in about 40, he said.

The district plans to convert Woodlan Junior-Senior High, a building for grades 7 through 12, to a campus that houses kindergarten through Grade 12.

School board member Terry Jo Lightfoot, who dropped off yellow petition packets Tuesday, said she was impressed by the positive feedback she received throughout the district and particularly in the Leo area, which she represents.

While many people asked pointed questions about the project, she said most seemed supportive of the district’s plan.

“I thought it was really great of them,” she said.

Michael Clendenen, New Haven-Adams Township Parks and Recreation superintendent, who organized the blue, or opposition effort, said he was hoping for more signatures.

“I don’t think it’s enough,” he said as he dropped off petition packets. “But you never know.”

Clendenen said his packets were circulated throughout the district, though primarily in the New Haven attendance area.

He said most people he spoke with were opposed to the plan for various reasons.

Many people heard about the petition drive too late to start circulating petitions, Clendenen said. Now that word is out about the process, he said he thinks he’ll have a better chance of defeating the district’s Heritage kindergarten-to-12th-grade campus project.

The petition drive for that project starts March 1.

Now that the packets have been collected, voter registration has 15 business days to determine whether those who signed the petitions are registered voters from the school district. After voter registration has finished verifying the signatures, the packets will move to the auditor’s office, which will verify the signatures of valid property owners.

Schust said he would have a better sense of final packet numbers, and what side was likely to win, by the end of the week.

The Woodlan campus is the first of several construction projects the district has planned as part of its $111.4 million redesign process.

According to Indiana law, elementary school projects less than $10 million, high school projects less than $20 million and other projects less than $12 million fall under the petition and remonstrance process. Projects exceeding those limits must be approved through referendum.

dhaynie@jg.net