Anyone know anthing new about..

[imported_hhstigerfan]

Dickenson Co consolidation. Last thing I heard about it, was that they couldn't find anywhere to put the school because pretty much all of the county is in a flood plain. Have they resolved this problem or what?

The whole county? I bet they send them to Russell County- the whole thing is being done by Wise (OK mostly by one cigar smokin' Dawg [img]/LDPforum/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/blush.gif[/img] [img]/LDPforum/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif[/img]) to get even for the out county students. Do you know how hard it was for me to get the whole county declared a flood plain? [img]/LDPforum/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif[/img] [img]/LDPforum/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif[/img] [img]/LDPforum/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/cool.gif[/img]

Just what i have heard from a few i talked to.
But there is something about the study the ACOE did. And what to do location wise.
And now from what a few told me, they want it put on a ballot to vote on.
I don't even know what that is all about to be honest. I know it was already voted on an approved.
And most of the money would be supplied by FEMA i think and/or some other federal agencies.
Not really sure.
Maybe Rocketer or Counts or someone else can give us some insight.
I honestly was looking to it to see what those in DC thought about it, once it was in the works or up and actually operating.
See if it was what all thought it would be. Kind of a second idea, behind what Lee did.
Figured it may give WC some insight.
I've talked to a lot of people as i said in another post. WC is not the only county facing such problems. Many counties are. And facing many other concerns. Biggest problem is finding the money to do what they need to do.
And it's not just schools but several things.
Has to make you wonder and kind of worry, when people say im not sure how much longer we can survive as a county.
All these federally mandated things to do. Yet no federal money to meet federal mandates.
What a lot of people never thought about.
Years back when it was, we are gonna let the states do more of their own, well that sounded good, until you have to find money to meet federal not state standards.

[imported_Counts]

Honestly it has been awhile since I have heard any new information. The latest "Official word" was passing a bond issue on the counties portion of the consolidation bill and that was about 6 months ago. The biggest delay was in determining whether a new consolidated HS could be used to house all DC students since the only schools in the flood zone are Ervinton and two(?) of the elementary schools.

Both sites that i have heard about are in/near Clinchco

1) On Big ridge near Clinchco town Limit(Not sure where a Building and other facilitys could be built there)
2) Behind Clinchco Elementary school (On coal Co. land that has been reclaimed)

I had heard (rumor only) that the school would be up and running in 5 years (that was 2 years ago so I would not be putting money on that being the case)

With Wise Co. deciding against consolidation it is possible that DC may rethink there consolidation plans. But I think (My opinion only) that with Wise Co. retiring so many teachers over the next few years I look for a number of DC teachers to follow the money to Wise Co. (Wise pays teachers better than DC) and possibly force the Consolidation issue.

I really don't think I have answered any of your questions very well and if there is anyone out there that has any additional information there are a lot of us that would like to know.

[imported_Counts]

Jusy happened to run across this from the coalfield from back in august (which is about the last time I had heard anything on the subject)

http://www.zwire.com/site/news.cfm?n...8544&rfi=6


And for the folks that don't like clicking links here is a cut/past of the story

CLINTWOOD - If Dickenson County receives federal funding to consolidate its three high schools into one, how will the board of supervisors afford to pay for its share of the project?
That's the dilemma the Dickenson County Public-Private Education Act Committee aims to solve.

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The 11-member committee met with U.S. Army Corps of Engineers representatives Monday evening at the 911 office in Clintwood to discuss plans to flood proof four county schools and funding options to help pay for a high school consolidation project.





Various local elected and appointed boards are represented on the committee.





School system representatives include superintendent Damon Rasnick and school board representatives Roger Stanley and Dr. Lurton Lyle.





Board of supervisors reprentatives include county administrator Keith Viers, county attorney Clarence "Bud" Phillips and supervisors Paul Buchanan and Gene Counts.





Gerald Gray and David Yates represent the industrial development authority, while Roy Mullins and Al Compton represent the planning commission.





The Corps has recommended Ervinton High School and Sandlick Elementary School be relocated. The band, home economics and agriculture buildings at Haysi High School would also be relocated if the project is approved.





At Clinchco Elementary School, a pump station and flood ring would be built to offer flood protection.





Schools identified by the study received flood damage in the April 1977 flood, making them eligible for the flood damage reduction project. The school study is part of a larger, countywide flood proofing project, estimated to cost about $105 million. However, exact cost of the school projects has not yet been determined.





If approved by Congress, the federal government would pay 95 percent of the project cost, and local government would be responsible for the remaining 5 percent. However, if approved, it will be at least 2006 before construction takes place.





And to qualify for the project, the school buildings must be occupied at the time a relocation contract is offered to the school system.





The Corps study also put a whole new spin on school board plans to consolidate the county's three high schools into one. The federal funds earmarked to flood proof Haysi and Ervinton high schools could be applied to construction cost of a new consolidated high school.





However, Steve Radcliff, Corps representative, said for the project to move forward, the county must submit a proposed project cooperation agreement. The agreement must including a financing plan detailing how the county will repay its portion of the project.





The committee is studying whether a public-private partnership could be created to provide the money.





The Public-Private Education Act grants public entities authority to create such partnerships for development of a wide range of public use projects. Qualifying projects include public buildings of all types, ranging from schools to recreational facilities.





"It appears you are planning on using the public-private infrastructure bonds. As part of the financing plan, I need to lay out how you are going to repay those bonds and what interest rate we can expect," he said.





He said Rep. Rick Boucher and Sen. John Warner have appropriated funds to pay for the report. However, unless the financing plan is submitted, the project is at a standstill.





"We have to have a logical financing plan. Once I have that we will provide a draft project cooperation agreement for the board of supervisors to review. We will then ask for a letter of intent," said Radcliff.





The letter of intent would not obligate the county in any way, he said. If a better proposal is developed later, the Corps would be willing to follow the new plan to finance the school system's portion of the project.





Once approved, the project cooperation agreement would be sent back to the board of supervisors to be signed.





The committee has not set a deadline to submit the proposal, but Viers said the aim is to complete it as soon as possible.





"We are at a critical point. If we don't keep the project moving forward, funding could dry up. It is pertinent we keep moving ahead," he noted.

[imported_hhstigerfan]

It sure would suck to see the Honaker/Haysi rivalry go away. [img]/LDPforum/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/confused.gif[/img]