Board Members Meeting in Appalachia All Day

[simple man]

I didn't say it was ok, just that it was the mentality of this board.

I should have quoted the other post- my apologies. We have a lot of hard feelings in this area over the schools. Something will have to be done at some point to remedy this, it is just kinda different for one of Appy reps to kinda offer to take a step and then he gets cut up before anybody really knows what is going on. If we need new schools, and I've said all along we did, what does the same 10 minutes of travel mean to the people that have been saying all along the kids from 3 schools could be bused to the next town? My origional gripes were about the difference in renovation costs and then the brainstorm to close Appy and put those kids in with PV's in the parking lot in "mobile classrooms."

[R0cketer]

I think that the non-elected member will have no effect on the outcome other than voting with the other 4 members who have been for consolidation from the start. BTW, word is out that certain members of this board are going to the next BOS meeting to voice their opinion. It has been mentioned on another forum. Apparently, there is someone feeding information about what is going on with this board to someone else. Not that it is a big secret anyway. This person just feels the need to tell everything that goes on with this forum to another person.

That doesn't shock me, the repeating of stuff. I actually have made it a point to not read this board when I'm at work, so I don't say anything that a few vindictive folks might use if I dared take 2 minutes to post

Now when I come home, watch out *lol* Seriously I don't know whats best, and the problem is neither does anybody else. Not completely, not for sure. The only thing that everybody should be trying to do is whats best. I read somewhere a comment and it was so accurate. It should not be an 'us' it should be a 'we'. The problem with some of the people that show up and speak is they are only looking at how something affects them, an 'us' mentality but really it needs to be a 'we' mentality because these big of decisions affect everybody. Yes even the neighbors over the hill. I'm stupid I guess, my view of politics doesn't work, because while you campaign as a Democrat or Republican, once you are elected you are an official. It doesn't say 'Republican Treasurer' or 'Democrat Treasurer' but Treasurer, that means you serve all and treat all equal. Or should. Same thing with a BOS or School Board member, I appreciate that there position is a bit different and that they need to work for their district but not at the expense of the county. I honestly believe that the fear mongers have done what they wanted, they have made all communication done by anybody as questionable.

Its funny, everybody wants exact figures, numbers, costs, but you can't get exact until you do something. That applies on pretty much anything. It's like repair, they could decide to do renovation but good odds, there will be unseen costs. Same with building, something won't be taken into equations. I've just gotten so tired of hearing how data from others area doesn't apply here, unless its bad, then it applies. If you are going to use data from other areas for your argument, you have to allow others to use data from other areas for theirs, its either all or none.

Anyhow, short meeting. Hopefully the sides are discussing and working things out, or at least a solution. It's bad that it has taken to being up at the deadline for people to want to try and work together. That is on all sides.

[Biggin]

So it is okay to close some schools, but not ask for the taxpayers to bear less of a burden to keep schools in 2 other towns? Hmmm, which is more petty?" I'm all for education as long as my school doesn't close." Hey those are almost EXACTLY the same statement.

No, I do not care what schools they close, but something has to done, and the kids educational needs should be placed first.

I know you are level headed guy, but you have to see our point. If its better for the kids and a better situation to have a school in Wise and Big Stone (its not gonna be Powell Valley, so thats not an issue), then why are we not doing that? Why should two towns get to hold the rest of the county hostage because of they dont want to lose names on a jersey?

But the attitude of, "well if Appalachia can't have a school, why should Big Stone?" is killing the county. Its not about town vs. town or school vs. school, its about getting the best educational opportunities for the kids.

If Appalachia was the better locale for a school, I would support that 100%.

and if a school was built down towards Pizza Hut, whats the problems there? It would take kids in the Valley just as long as it would take kids in Rhoda to get there.

[Shooter]

So it is okay to close some schools, but not ask for the taxpayers to bear less of a burden to keep schools in 2 other towns? Hmmm, which is more petty?" I'm all for education as long as my school doesn't close." Hey those are almost EXACTLY the same statement.

*sigh* I think you fail to realize that most people would LOVE to keep all the schools open. But the fact of the matter is, no matter what plan is chosen, Appalachia and Pound will lose their schools. That being said, if the ability to keep schools in BSG and Wise is there, then why not? Why go with the "if i can't have mine, you can't have yours" attitude?

Then you'll say..."well why not send BSG to Appy and Wise to Pound?"....Common sense. The populations of both those towns are fading away. Why would you build a school or consolidate in a town that, for lack of a better phrase, is a ghost town?

I've talked with some people from Appy about this...and some of the same ones who have fought this tooth and nail told me today..."I'd much rather have my kids in PV, then have this 3-on-1 mess".

[simple man]

No, I do not care what schools they close, but something has to done, and the kids educational needs should be placed first.

I know you are level headed guy, but you have to see our point. If its better for the kids and a better situation to have a school in Wise and Big Stone (its not gonna be Powell Valley, so thats not an issue), then why are we not doing that? Why should two towns get to hold the rest of the county hostage because of they dont want to lose names on a jersey?

But the attitude of, "well if Appalachia can't have a school, why should Big Stone?" is killing the county. Its not about town vs. town or school vs. school, its about getting the best educational opportunities for the kids.

If Appalachia was the better locale for a school, I would support that 100%.

and if a school was built down towards Pizza Hut, whats the problems there? It would take kids in the Valley just as long as it would take kids in Rhoda to get there.

I'm thinking at this point it is gonna be "what can we do cheapest". Not that I really care for that- if it was my choice alone, it would be put to where we can vote on things like location and funding. If people really care so much, vote to fund more new schools- I'm thinking as soon as you want to raise funding, you are going to find a lot of the people aren't going to care for ANY school improvements.

[simple man]

*sigh* I think you fail to realize that most people would LOVE to keep all the schools open. But the fact of the matter is, no matter what plan is chosen, Appalachia and Pound will lose their schools. That being said, if the ability to keep schools in BSG and Wise is there, then why not? Why go with the "if i can't have mine, you can't have yours" attitude?

Then you'll say..."well why not send BSG to Appy and Wise to Pound?"....Common sense. The populations of both those towns are fading away. Why would you build a school or consolidate in a town that, for lack of a better phrase, is a ghost town?

I've talked with some people from Appy about this...and some of the same ones who have fought this tooth and nail told me today..."I'd much rather have my kids in PV, then have this 3-on-1 mess".

No, most people do not want keep all the schools open. It boils down to a simple matter of funding- Wise Co won't want to pay anything more than they have to.

[R13]

I'm thinking at this point it is gonna be "what can we do cheapest". Not that I really care for that- if it was my choice alone, it would be put to where we can vote on things like location and funding. If people really care so much, vote to fund more new schools- I'm thinking as soon as you want to raise funding, you are going to find a lot of the people aren't going to care for ANY school improvements.

And that's why it can't be put in the hands of the public, not only would these nutjobs who are against have a say, the fund raising wouldn't be that great on either end. We wouldn't have **** if it were left to people to decide what we need, they'd want to keep all the money(which anyone would want) and still expect things to get done.

[simple man]

And that's why it can't be put in the hands of the public, not only would these nutjobs who are against have a say, the fund raising wouldn't be that great on either end. We wouldn't have **** if it were left to people to decide what we need, they'd want to keep all the money(which anyone would want) and still expect things to get done.

You are probably right- the people who pay for things should never get a say in things That is a problem with letting folks have a say in things....but wait- that was how we got Obama and GWB, and pretty much anything that matters in this country.

[pvfan]

I'd have to see hard figures that the average citizen in Appalachia and Pound pay the same taxes that someone in Wise and Big Stone Gap does. I'm not saying it's not true, I'd just have to see the hard numbers to believe.

[simple man]

And why would that make any difference? If only property taxes were raised, then only renters would come out OK. I always thought taxes came from kinda of a bracket and were the same brackets in all of the county. As far as that goes- the area around Appy easily generates more than BSG, in coal money. One is as important as the other. But it really doesn't matter- we will never see it put on a ballot.