Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: THURSDAY, June 30, 1994 TAG: 9406300108
SECTION: CURRENT PAGE: NRV2 EDITION: NEW RIVER VALLEY
SOURCE: PAUL DELLINGER STAFF WRITEr
DATELINE: PULASKI LENGTH: Medium
A cross section of county citizens was appointed to the task force last October by the commission. After months of study, the task force delivered the recommendations last March.
The first four were to close the Pulaski and Dublin middle schools and build a new middle school near Pulaski County High School; renovate and upgrade the high school including a new roof bonded for 20 years; close Northwood Elementary, build an addition to Critzer Elementary and redistrict attendance lines to reduce crowding at Newbern and Dublin Elementary; and provide each school with the capacity to use the latest technology and the ability to upgrade existing computer systems.
Buildings would have to be air-conditioned to use the latest computer technology. This renovation would be difficult for some older schools. It would also be hard to make them handicapped-accessible as now required. The county's newest school buildings are 20 years old.
The rest were: to hire an architect for middle school construction and elementary renovations; hire a consultant to review roof systems included in building and renovation programs; establish a committee of school administrators, teachers, parents and perhaps students to review architectural plans and offer suggestions; establish an overall preventive maintainance program for buildings and facilities; and plan a bond issue to fund the recommendations.
Supervisor Bruce Fariss suggested that the joint commission from the School Board and Board of Supervisors start by considering the first four recommendations, since the others involve ways of implementing those four. The remaining recommendations would be addressed after the commission decided on the first four.
``To me, the recommendations are logical,'' Fariss said, although the last ones addressed ``how'' more than ``what.''
``Well, we asked them how,'' School Board Chairman Ron Chaffin said. ``We said, `Don't give us recommendations pie-in-the-sky, tell us how to do it.'''
The commission met Tuesday evening at the School Board office.
Superintendent Bill Asbury said an engineering study could be made of the four recommendations. The school system could also ask the state Department of Education to survey its existing schools and advise the county if its plan seems on the right track.
School administrators will draw up a request for proposals from engineering firms, and Asbury will approach the state about a possible survey. Fariss said plans should also be made for school buildings that would be left vacant if the program is implemented.
Letters will be sent to all task force members bringing them up to date on the commission's discussion. The commission will meet again when it has some responses on the request for engineering proposals and from the state department.
by CNB