Total cost estimate.....

http://www.timesnews.net/article.php?id=3740543

Wise County School Board aware county can't afford $109.5 million, but can't afford to neglect six aging high schools
Published 03/12/2007 By STEPHEN IGO

WISE - Be careful what you ask for. You might just get it.

That was the underlying message the Wise County School Board sent the Board of Supervisors on Monday regarding a projected $109.5 million price tag for preliminary recommendations to renovate the county's six aging high schools.

Supervisors have dismissed the cost projections out of hand as too expensive, and some have been critical of the school board for its handling of the situation. Last week supervisors approved a resolution urging the school board to pursue a special program when considering capital projects, referred to as the Public-Private Educational Facilities Act (PPEA), and set a public hearing on a proposed ordinance to give supervisors greater access to minute spending details of the roughly $15 million annually that county taxpayers provide the school division.

The projected $109.5 million renovations price tag was revealed Feb. 27 and pretty much sent the entire county into sticker shock. During the first school board session since then on Monday, school officials answered salvos fired their way from the Board of Supervisors, particularly Big Stone Gap Supervisor John Peace II.

School Superintendent Greg Killough recapped a two-decade-long deteriorating high schools saga beginning with a Virginia Department of Education study in 1986 citing a need for "extensive renovations" to those facilities. Other than build an impressive record of studying the matter since then, the high schools have yet to see a single new window.

Killough cited a 1994 recommendation by state education officials to move forward with renovations; a 2000 study by Dewberry & Davis recording the continuing deteriorating conditions and noting that the buildings were out of compliance; a $54 million estimate to provide improvements to Pound, J.J. Kelly, Powell Valley and Coeburn high schools; a thorough, if locally controversial, analysis by an independent Richmond educational consulting firm in 2005 that all but recommended renovations to three high schools and closure of the other three; and a study commissioned by supervisors involving the impact - social, economic and other factors - high schools have on local communities.

Killough then referred to a resolution of nearly a year ago by the Board of Supervisors urging the board to go forward "with a full ... a comprehensive" renovations plan to be presented to the board in May of this year.

Killough said what was presented on Feb. 27 is as comprehensive as it gets, projected costs and the works, although it's "only the beginning" of school board deliberations of what to ultimately present supervisors in May.

As for the PPEA, Killough said he, his staff and the school board are not only aware of the program, having attended numerous sessions with state and other officials as to its nuances, but know that nothing is free. Under the program, an agency can solicit proposals for a project at no cost, but if it chooses a plan Killough said it's a good bet that preliminary engineering and design work will be included in the ultimate project cost. Killough said the PPEA invited "hidden costs."

School board member Monty Salyers, of St. Paul, said he is aware the county cannot afford $109.5 million worth of renovations, "but I also know we can't afford to neglect the needs of these schools."

Salyers said the county also can't afford division and dissension.

"We need to find a way to agree to disagree and remain a whole community," he said.

Big Stone Gap's Betty Cornett said supervisors got what they asked for. The $109.5 million projection was "for full renovations, as requested," she said.

Cornett said the separate spat over category spending flies in the face of the school division's compliance with all state finance reporting requirements and is an attempt at micromanagement.

"Who is running our schools?" asked Cornett. "The Board of Supervisors or the school board?"

Vice Chairman Kyle Fletcher said the school board has avoided "division and dissension between us and the Board of Supervisors" and $109.5 million "was not a shocking or awesome thing to me" because he figured the estimate would be high. Rather than panic, Fletcher said sensible people need to sit down and work things out.

The school board will give supervisors a "solid" estimate by the May deadline, Fletcher said, "and it will be a realistic figure."

As for potential tax increases, Fletcher said there "may have to be a need for some money somewhere" but the school board won't operate under "secret agendas" and will always be open about its deliberations.

Phillip Bates of Wise said prospective businesses are turned off by the county's old, unattractive high schools.

School board Chairman Barry Nelson said it is time to "stop the rhetoric. We're ready to get on with the job."

Interesting sounds like the BOS and SB are going to start locking horns a bit while I hope they all work together it looks like the finger pointing has started

Let's see, how does that saying go. "Better sh**, or get off the pot." Don't you just love politics? [img]/LDPforum/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/confused.gif[/img]

No I hate politics......LOL but in politics it is always easyier to do nothing and from the artical above it sounds like just what all sides have done the last 20+ years

There's also a running online poll about it at www.coalfield.com

If this has already been mentioned, please forgive me, but there is also a web site that includes a poll. web page . It seems to me that all the polls indicate to not spend the money on all 6 high schools.

[ QUOTE ]
It seems to me that all the polls indicate to not spend the money on all 6 high schools.

[/ QUOTE ]

How ironic is that? Just speaking literally, the site has the mission of "save our schools" and it seems as though those who are voting are more in favor of providing better facilities and opportunities for all of the children in the county rather than holding on to some sense of what has already come and gone. I just pray Wise County gets this resolved before it is too late.

I'm willing to bet this ends like always- some want to keep their school at any cost, some want consolidation...and the group that will get their wish is the ones who don't want to spend any money on the schools at all.

Ding Ding Ding we have a winner

What is best for the kids will not come into play it will be whatever is cheaper......Another study prehaps?

Maybe we can conduct a study and get them to pay us instead of those engineering firms! [img]/LDPforum/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif[/img]

I am getting feedback that some folks are a little afraid to express their feelings if it goes against some of the more vocal crowds wanting to consolidate. Maybe these polls are a better indicator of how folks really feel.

Honistly I have no clue HOWEVER it is sad if that is the case.

I think you're onto something there RetiredTeach. I heard some rather prominent folks talking about how brave that Flanary was to make the comments he did, because some of the people who are so against it, are the people who would do whatever it takes to quiet opposition. The actual comment was something like it wouldnt shock them if some of them went out with a gun and tried to take a shot.

I'm afraid that is the county takes too long it will come down to building 1 huge school instead of 3 modest sized schools. The longer they wait the more the estimate's will be.