The Stillwater school district "acted well within the boundaries of the law" when it decided to close three elementary schools, Superintendent Denise Pontrelli said Thursday.

Responding to a lawsuit filed against the district Wednesday, Pontrelli said the district has legally managed $97.5 million in bond proceeds that voters approved in 2015.

A parents' group, 834 Voice, alleges in the suit that closing the three schools would be illegal, and argues that the school district deceived voters who thought bond money would be spent improving all schools rather than closing some of them, as the school board voted to do March 3.

Pontrelli said the decision to close the schools "was a difficult policy decision. … Some want to take this policy decision away from the elected local officials who have the duty to make these tough calls and give it to a court."

Statements made at the time in support of the referendum, she said, "were honest and based on the documented plans and expectations."

Pontrelli also addressed conflict-of-interest allegations against finance director Kristen Hoheisel and board member Kathy Buchholz.

Pontrelli said the state auditor twice issued opinions finding no conflict between Hoheisel and her husband's financial services firm, and that Buchholz had disclosed her husband's relationship to an architectural firm working for the district.