Bluefield's WVVA 6 had a story on high school consolidation in Fayette Co., WV. I missed the first part, but I think they're going to vote on a tax increase of $65 per household with no homestead exemptions.
Fayetteville, Midland Trail, Mount Hope and Oak Hill would combine near Fayeteville Plateau.
The Wise County Board of Supervisors is meeting now to vote on funding the consolidation of schools
You'll shoot your eye out.
[img]http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v635/elp6n/santa.jpg[/img]
I wonder if another clinic in Norton would help?
GO VOLS
Vote to commit $44 million to consolidation dies in tie
By: JODI DEAL / Staff Writer
Posted: Wednesday, September 23, 2009 7:46 pm
WISE ? A proposal to commit $44 million to a proposed consolidation of Wise County?s six high schools into three new facilities has died in a tie.
One week after hearing a recommendation from County Financial Administrator David Cox to alter a local policy that limits the amount of debt Wise County can take on, the county board of supervisors voted 6-2 Wednesday night to leave that policy just as it is, for now. District Four supervisor Dana Kilgore and District Two supervisor Steve Bates voted against leaving the policy unchanged.
District Three supervisor J.H. Rivers? motion to offer the school system $44 million also called for the county to hire an independent financial expert to re-evaluate the existing debt policy and offer an opinion on whether it should change, and if it should, how.
Rivers noted that he was proposing $35 million in new debt and $9 million that?s already in county coffers, set aside for school construction.
That motion died in a tie, with District One supervisors Fred Luntsford and Ronnie Shortt, District Three supervisor Virginia Meador and Chairman Robby Robbins, of District Four, voting against it.
Luntsford noted before supervisors voted on the matter that whether or not supervisors officially committed to the $44 million Wednesday night, the discussion should serve as "an indicator." He suggested that supervisors shouldn?t take action, but should let the school board regroup and come up with a new plan.
REFERENDUM LESSON
Before supervisors addressed any business, they heard from a parade of citizens from the crowd of about 50 people in the audience. Many called for the matter of school consolidation to be handed to the voters in the form of a referendum.
County Attorney Karen Mullins told supervisors it?s not that simple. Virginia law prohibits an outright referendum on whether to consolidate schools, she explained, but allows for a referendum on bonds to pay for school construction.
And for that to happen, she added, the school board must first pass a resolution asking supervisors to begin the process of planning a referendum, which requires permission from a judge and the Virginia Department of Justice.
How much was the orignal cost estimate of 3 new high schools... I can't remember, but the $44 million seems like it is only a drop in the bucket for the total cost.
It was something like 90 to 100 million, right?
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