Wise County Schools

**blitzer44** · April 2nd, 2007, 09:49 AM

What's the latest on the "renovate / consolidate" debate? Does any one else feel like I do, that our School Board acts like a "lost ball in tall weeds?" Do what's best for the kids and the taxpayers, seems simple, right? [img]/LDPforum/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/confused.gif[/img]

**imported_Counts** · April 2nd, 2007, 10:17 AM

There have been several articles and letters to the editor in the coalfield the last few weeks.

From what I have read and got from people that SHOULD be "In the Know" Some on the SB see the writing on the wall and will and will be For consolidation if a new yet to be announced study shoes that is the way to go and the price is right. Others want to push the dission on the BOS by trying to force there hand in financing the (too expensive) $109 Million plan and a bare bones plan(yep we are 20 years behind the rest of the state and another 20 years will not hurt) plan.

I think the SB wants the BOS to say that they will fund Consolidation but not renovation (effectively keeping there hands clean)

That being said There is a group of people that will NEVER be for consolidation no matter what and will say and do anything to prevent it. I am not sure that anyone feels that strongly pro consolidation to make a difference (squeaky wheel gets the grease) There is however a MUCH larger and just as vocal group of people that will be anti-property tax raise which is why IMHO the dission will come down to whichever option is the cheapest

**imported_Counts** · April 3rd, 2007, 12:09 PM

Coalfield has more information today from the artical it sounds like there are more folks now willing to speak out PRO-Consoladation but the very vocal ANTI-Consoladation group is still out in force.

PV, Coeburn and Wise seem to want to expand educational and extracariculare activitys which would require larger schools and therefor new schools and consoladation.

Appy, Pound, and St Paul seemed to be all for "what we have is good enough" and were willing to forgo any addations or update outside of Heating and cooling.

This is probably going to turn into just as big and ugly a fight at it was last time.

**NotSoSilentBob** · April 3rd, 2007, 12:41 PM

I just do not see the sense in putting a $60-80 million dollar bandaid on the schools in this county. What happens in 25 years when these renovated schools are so antiquated that they're not even fit for occupation?

Consolidation should have happened 15 years ago. The county certainly isn't going to get any richer.

**buck73** · April 3rd, 2007, 01:48 PM

[ QUOTE ]
PV, Coeburn and Wise seem to want to expand educational and extracariculare activitys which would require larger schools and therefor new schools and consoladation.

Appy, Pound, and St Paul seemed to be all for "what we have is good enough" and were willing to forgo any addations or update outside of Heating and cooling.

[/ QUOTE ]

I bet if the 3 new schools were built in Pound, Appalachia, and St Paul, then these 3 schools would agree to consolidation. However, Wise, P.V and Coeburn would most definitely be against it then. I think this will hold true to wherever the new schools go: the towns where the new schools go will be for consolidation while the others will be be against it.

**R0cketer** · April 3rd, 2007, 02:01 PM

Well that would be true if the schools were to be built in Coeburn, Wise or Big Stone Gap, but most of the ideas have them being built out of the town limits. The one for wise/pound on 23, the one for appy/bsg being built out of town as well although with 4 miles between the 2, if they put it between them, do we start claiming possession like coal?

The thing is, if you said you was going to build 3 schools in Appy, Pound, St. Paul, I think the most vocal would still complain because it wouldn't be 'their school' it would have those nasty Vikings, Indians, or Knights in it.

**buck73** · April 3rd, 2007, 02:57 PM

I read where somebody said if we went with just 2 new schools, they would be built near the colleges.....thus in Wise and P.V. But I don't see that happening because of the long travel of Coeburn and St Paul. If they could put the 3 new schools in the middle of the towns (ex. 2 miles to Wise/2 miles to Pound; 2 miles to Coeburn/2 miles to St Paul etc., I wonder how people would react? I do think consolidation is needed BUT the schools need to be in a neutral location.

**imported_Counts** · April 3rd, 2007, 03:15 PM

No clue where they would be built (if they are even built)

I do think that all schools should be in easy access of the 4 lane but I am sure that will have alot to do whith wherever the County can get enough Land to build.

April 3rd, 2007, 04:06 PM

[ QUOTE ]
What's the latest on the "renovate / consolidate" debate? Does any one else feel like I do, that our School Board acts like a "lost ball in tall weeds?" Do what's best for the kids and the taxpayers, seems simple, right? [img]/LDPforum/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/confused.gif[/img]

[/ QUOTE ] Yep, and as soon as the rest, and the bunch with ties to companies get together it MIGHT go forward. [img]/LDPforum/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif[/img]

**TheBeast** · April 4th, 2007, 09:01 AM

I am for consolidation and am from Coeburn and really don't care where the schools are built as long as it is done.

Someone mentioned 2 schools near the colleges this wouldn't be that bad but in the next post someone said the drive would be the problem and cited Coeburn as a long drive. I can be to UVAW in 10-20 minutes from anywhere in Coeburn (including Flatwoods, Sandy Ridge, and High Knob) whoever said the drive was to long for Coeburn must have forgotten about the 2 mountain roads that lead straight to the school you don't have to go down 58 to 23 and through Wise.