
                         Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: TUESDAY, November 1, 1994                   TAG: 9411010074
SECTION: CURRENT                    PAGE: NRV-2   EDITION: NEW RIVER VALLEY 
SOURCE: 
DATELINE:                                 LENGTH: Medium

RETREATS ARE GREAT, BUT AT WHAT COST?

I learned with interest, and a little envy, that one of our reporters drove only four miles to cover the Montgomery County Board of Supervisors day-long retreat last weekend.

In September, I drove more than 150 miles to cover the Montgomery County School Board retreat, which lasted two days.

I think retreats are a good idea. Every hard-working public official deserves a break from the daily grind and pressures of serving our county. Board members need to hone their interpersonal relationships so they can work together in a professional manner.

At the Montgomery County School Board retreat, held at the Omni Hotel in Charlottesville, the only signs of relaxation were the polo shirts and tennis shorts several board members sported. The meeting began Friday evening and continued again early Saturday morning. The main item on the agenda was how to deal with a morale survey released in May that showed widespread dissatisfaction with the superintendent and the board. After discussing the survey, the members decided:

To hold a series of forums where teachers could publicly express their concerns and fears; to require board members to visit schools, teachers and principals more often; to put a suggestion box in each school to take anonymous complaints or comments; and to consider conducting another morale survey later in the year.

So far, there have been no public forums and the suggestion boxes are nonexistent. The suggestion boxes will be discussed at tonight's school board meeting which begins at 7:30 p.m.

However, board members do seem to be visiting the schools more often and report regularly to their colleagues about those visits.

The Montgomery County School Board spent $1,617 on their retreat. The Board of Supervisors spent some money on sandwiches and close to $500 for its facilitator at its retreat this past weekend at Chairman Larry Linkous' home.

School Board Chairman Roy Vickers said the retreat had to be held in Charlottesville because part of it involved School Board training by Virginia School Boards Association Executive Director Frank Barham, whose office is located there.

At a dinner held last week by the School Board for state legislators, (cost: $300), the superintendent asked about a local sales tax increase to go directly toward our schools, which, among other things, could fund repairs and technology.

No one asked if that $1,617 and $300 could have bought computers or paid for a few repairs.

by CNB