After months of heated debate, the Woodland Hills school board voted yesterday to close East Junior High School and transfer its students to West Junior High School in Swissvale next year.

The vote passed by a 5-4 margin, with board members Robert Tomasic, Dr. William Driscoll, Regis Driscoll and Fred Kuhn voting against the closure.

"I'd like to see the new administration take a year to look at it outside and in, top to bottom, every configuration possible before [moving students]" said Dr. Driscoll. "Take a year to plan for this whole thing so we have a road map to follow for the future,"

Mr. Tomasic noted objections to the move from Swissvale Police Chief Greg Geppert and Mayor Deneen Swartzwelder in earlier meetings, saying more students would exacerbate disciplinary issues in West.

"If I was representing that particular community, I'd make sure I was voting with their wishes instead of voting against them," he said.

However, board member Dr. Randy Lott said he had yet to see any alternative to closing East Junior High in Turtle Creek that would still allow the district to pass a balanced budget.

"It's certainly contingent for me on following the next motion, which is a budget that's balanced and legal," he said.

The district also voted by a 5-4 margin to pass its $85 million budget without an increase to its 24.65 millage rate.