A-1 CFP Front - TownNews · transportation and bus replacements. Since 2009-10, ... Appalachia...
1
JENAY TATE EDITOR AND PUBLISHER The year 2017 saw continued discord and division among leaders and the community in Pound. The year opened and closed with financial matters dominating the agenda as town council debated over-budget spending and pressing money and vehicle needs. Also in January, coun- cil hired bookkeeper Jenny Carter as the new town clerk/treasurer. Carter would soon sug- gest that council change tax due dates so people can pay them twice a year. When it came to budg- et planning, heads butted over who could even be present at an administra- tive committee meeting, including Councilman Terry Short, who is not on the committee. Councilman Clifton Cauthorne said any citi- zen of Pound should be welcome at these meet- ings. In April, council . . . • Endorsed the idea of recreational releases of water from Pound Lake and the expedited study of that possibility by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. • Heard a plea from its town engineer to address problems contributing to excess water getting into its sewage plant. • Supported the con- cept of building a covered bridge in Pound but got little support from the main state agency that would have to approve it. In May . . . • The mayor apolo- gized after his observa- tions about traffic fines helping to pay for a need- ed police vehicle drew outrage in Kentucky and threats to boycott busi- nesses in town, Wise County and Virginia. The closure of Appalachia Elementary School was the single largest choice the Wise County School Board made as it, like boards across Southwest Virginia, faced staggering cuts to education funding for the 2017-18 school year. During an April 3 meeting, the board exam- ined estimated revenue, expenses and how it might bridge a funding gap of about $2 million. Schools Finance Director Beth Shupe and Superintendent Greg Mullins presented a vari- ety of ways the board might close the gap but, by the end of the night, members sought more options, including possi- ble savings by closing Appalachia Elementary School. The board also discussed such budget factors as health insur- ance, special activities transportation and bus replacements. Since 2009-10, county schools had dropped 138 instructional positions and 65 classified posi- tions, had 16 fewer school administrators and had cut the central office in half, according to Mullins. On April 19, budget discussion came down to one bottom line — close Appalachia Elementary School or cut salaries for all employees. Closing the school would save more than $600,000. After a presentation on what a school consolida- tion would look like, the issue was taken to the public in a May 22 hear- ing. Not everyone agreed with closing the school. District 1 board member Martha Jett maintained that it would be better for everyone to share the bur- den and take a hit to rais- es versus closing the school and costing peo- ple’s jobs. But District 4’s Nolan Kilgore said the board had an obligation to oper- ate the school system as efficiently as it can. Kilgore moved to accept the consolidation plan, including changing the names of Powell Valley Primary and Middle schools to Union Primary School and Union Middle School. Speaking of the overall school funding challenge, Kilgore, a retired educa- tor, said, “In my 40-some years, I’ve never seen a time like this. It’s never been this bad.” Consolidation was approved 6-2, with Jett and fellow District 1 member Herb Shortt vot- ing no. Appalachia Elementary finished sum- mer school on June 30 and was then closed. Some parents, upset with the decision, relocated their children to Norton schools. At the time, Norton had enrolled 15-16 students. However, by year’s end, administrators of the Union schools said the transition that absorbed former Appalachia stu- dents went more smoothly than they could have imagined. PROGRESS A Progressive Newspaper Serving Our Mountain Area Since 1911 the Pound had a busy year POUND, PAGE 3 Sports | Page 7 | Spartans outrun Union Bears, Raiders scorch Grundy. Homespun | Page 9 | Living up to resolutions, 2018. TUESDAY, FRIDAY December 26, 29, 2017 Vol. 106 • No. 103, 104 14 Pages NORTON, VA 24273 USPS 120-120 $1.00 SUBSCRIBER INFORMATION HERE A Progressive Newspaper Serving Our Mountain Area Since 1911 SPORTS PHOTOS BREAKING NEWS FEATURES NO SUBSCRIPTION NECESSARY! This and More FREE at STORIES OF 2017 TOP TEN — 1 — Last Appalachia school closes Appalachia Elementary School employees Sheila Sizemore, Vanessa Sexton, Jackie Huneycutt, April Roberts, Valarie Coats, Katina Alcantara and Christina Ingles gather around Wise County School Board member Donnese Kern during a discussion of closing the school. This aerial view of the Mineral Gap data center was on display in April for a celebration of the $65 million facility’s opening. JENAY TATE PHOTO JENAY TATE PHOTO Democrat Ralph Northam, left, listens as Republican Ed Gillespie makes a point during an October gubernatorial debate at UVa-Wise. TIM COX PHOTO TOP TEN, PAGE 2 Card is pulled into dispute JENAY TATE EDITOR AND PUBLISHER POUND —Rachel’s Haven resi- dents delivered some holiday cheer this season, taking hand-made Christmas cards to various loca- tions around Pound. Residents of group homes for adults with intellectual disabilities, they wanted to share the season’s spirit of giving with some of those around town who have given to them throughout the year, says Janice Payne, who owns the company that provides services to those with spe- cial needs. They delivered cards in person to the post office, Payne said, to the pharmacy, town hall and Roberts Brothers, the Pound tire dealer that sells the handmade dog biscuits the residents prepare. “The residents were trying to do something nice,” Payne said, acknowledging she’d heard the card was mentioned at the recent Pound Town Council meeting. THE AGENDA Mayor and interim Town Manager George Dean brought the residents’ Christmas card to share with council at its December meet- ing. They had visited just that after- noon. But acknowledgement of their holiday gesture got caught up in the procedural details of what routine- ly is a power struggle on Pound Town Council. In October, as council meetings had stretched to 10 p.m., 11 p.m. and longer, council had voted to end meetings no later than 9 p.m. That time was fast approaching at the December meeting and council had five more agenda items, with the card being the last matter before public expression. The goodwill gesture ended up figuring in a town council debate over meeting procedures. Residents of Rachel’s Haven made Christmas cards and delivered them in person to places like the post office and town hall, where this one adorns the tree. JENAY TATE PHOTO CARD, PAGE 3 Town council frequently butted heads over budget, spending and administrative matters.
Transcript of A-1 CFP Front - TownNews · transportation and bus replacements. Since 2009-10, ... Appalachia...
JENAY TATEEDITOR AND PUBLISHER
The year 2017 sawcontinued discord anddivision among leadersand the community inPound. The year openedand closed with financialmatters dominating theagenda as town councildebated over-budgetspending and pressingmoney and vehicle needs.
Also in January, coun-cil hired bookkeeperJenny Carter as the newtown clerk/treasurer.Carter would soon sug-gest that council changetax due dates so peoplecan pay them twice ayear.
When it came to budg-et planning, heads buttedover who could even bepresent at an administra-tive committee meeting,including CouncilmanTerry Short, who is not onthe committee.Councilman CliftonCauthorne said any citi-zen of Pound should bewelcome at these meet-ings.
In April, council . . . • Endorsed the idea of
recreational releases ofwater from Pound Lakeand the expedited studyof that possibility by theU.S. Army Corps ofEngineers.
• Heard a plea from itstown engineer to addressproblems contributing toexcess water getting intoits sewage plant.
• Supported the con-cept of building a coveredbridge in Pound but gotlittle support from themain state agency thatwould have to approve it.
In May . . .• The mayor apolo-
gized after his observa-tions about traffic fineshelping to pay for a need-ed police vehicle drewoutrage in Kentucky andthreats to boycott busi-nesses in town, WiseCounty and Virginia.
The closure ofAppalachia ElementarySchool was the singlelargest choice the WiseCounty School Boardmade as it, like boardsacross SouthwestVirginia, faced staggeringcuts to education fundingfor the 2017-18 schoolyear.
During an April 3meeting, the board exam-ined estimated revenue,expenses and how it mightbridge a funding gap ofabout $2 million. SchoolsFinance Director BethShupe andSuperintendent GregMullins presented a vari-ety of ways the boardmight close the gap but,by the end of the night,members sought moreoptions, including possi-ble savings by closingAppalachia ElementarySchool. The board alsodiscussed such budgetfactors as health insur-ance, special activitiestransportation and busreplacements.
Since 2009-10, countyschools had dropped 138instructional positionsand 65 classified posi-tions, had 16 fewer schooladministrators and hadcut the central office inhalf, according to Mullins.
On April 19, budgetdiscussion came down toone bottom line — closeAppalachia ElementarySchool or cut salaries forall employees. Closing theschool would save more
than $600,000.After a presentation on
what a school consolida-tion would look like, theissue was taken to thepublic in a May 22 hear-ing.
Not everyone agreedwith closing the school.District 1 board memberMartha Jett maintainedthat it would be better foreveryone to share the bur-den and take a hit to rais-es versus closing theschool and costing peo-ple’s jobs.
But District 4’s NolanKilgore said the boardhad an obligation to oper-ate the school system asefficiently as it can.Kilgore moved to acceptthe consolidation plan,including changing thenames of Powell ValleyPrimary and Middleschools to Union PrimarySchool and Union MiddleSchool.
Speaking of the overallschool funding challenge,Kilgore, a retired educa-tor, said, “In my 40-someyears, I’ve never seen atime like this. It’s neverbeen this bad.”
Consolidation wasapproved 6-2, with Jettand fellow District 1member Herb Shortt vot-ing no.
A p p a l a c h i aElementary finished sum-mer school on June 30 andwas then closed. Someparents, upset with thedecision, relocated theirchildren to Nortonschools. At the time,Norton had enrolled 15-16students.
However, by year’send, administrators of theUnion schools said thetransition that absorbedformer Appalachia stu-dents went more smoothlythan they could haveimagined.
PROGRESSA Progressive Newspaper Serving Our Mountain Area Since 1911
the
Poundhad abusyyear
POUND, PAGE 3
Sports| Page 7| Spartans outrun Union Bears, Raiders scorch Grundy. Homespun| Page 9| Living up to resolutions, 2018.
TUESDAY,FRIDAY
December 26, 29, 2017
Vol. 106 • No. 103, 104
14 Pages
NORTON, VA 24273 USPS 120-120 $1.00
SU
BS
CR
IBE
R IN
FO
RM
AT
ION
H
ER
E
A Progressive Newspaper Serving Our Mountain Area Since 1911
SPORTS PHOTOSBREAKING NEWS
FEATURES
NO SUBSCRIPTION NECESSARY!
This and MoreFREE at
STORIES OF 2017TOP TEN
— 1 —Last
Appalachiaschool closes
Appalachia Elementary School employees Sheila Sizemore, Vanessa Sexton, JackieHuneycutt, April Roberts, Valarie Coats, Katina Alcantara and Christina Ingles gather aroundWise County School Board member Donnese Kern during a discussion of closing the school.
This aerial view of the Mineral Gap data center was on display inApril for a celebration of the $65 million facility’s opening.
JENAY TATE PHOTO
JENAY TATE PHOTO
Democrat RalphNortham, left,
listens asRepublican Ed
Gillespie makes apoint during
an October gubernatorial
debate at UVa-Wise.TIM COX PHOTO
TOP TEN, PAGE 2
Card is pulled into disputeJENAY TATEEDITOR AND PUBLISHER
POUND —Rachel’s Haven resi-dents delivered some holiday cheerthis season, taking hand-madeChristmas cards to various loca-tions around Pound.
Residents of group homes for
adults with intellectual disabilities, theywanted to share the season’s spiritof giving with some of those aroundtown who have given to themthroughout the year, says JanicePayne, who owns the company thatprovides services to those with spe-cial needs.
They delivered cards in personto the post office, Payne said, to thepharmacy, town hall and RobertsBrothers, the Pound tire dealer thatsells the handmade dog biscuits theresidents prepare.
“The residents were trying to dosomething nice,” Payne said,acknowledging she’d heard thecard was mentioned at the recentPound Town Council meeting.
THE AGENDAMayor and interim Town
Manager George Dean brought theresidents’ Christmas card to sharewith council at its December meet-ing. They had visited just that after-noon.
But acknowledgement of theirholiday gesture got caught up in theprocedural details of what routine-
ly is a power struggle on PoundTown Council.
In October, as council meetingshad stretched to 10 p.m., 11 p.m.and longer, council had voted to endmeetings no later than 9 p.m. Thattime was fast approaching at theDecember meeting and council hadfive more agenda items, with thecard being the last matter beforepublic expression.
The goodwill gesture
ended up figuring in a
town council debate over
meeting procedures.
Residents of Rachel’s Havenmade Christmas cards and
delivered them in person toplaces like the post officeand town hall, where this
one adorns the tree.
JENAY TATE PHOTO
CARD, PAGE 3
Town council frequently butted
heads over budget,spending andadministrative
matters.
