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

DATE: THURSDAY, April 6, 1995                   TAG: 9504130016
SECTION: NEIGHBORS                    PAGE: W-15   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: STEWART MacINNIS SPECIAL TO THE ROANOKE TIMES & WORLD NEWS
DATELINE: NEW CASTLE                                LENGTH: Medium

SECOND CANDIDATE ANNOUNCES FOR CRAIG COUNTY SCHOOL BOARD

Southworth is an at-large member to the five-member board. She joins board chairman James Cady as the only announced candidates to date. The deadline for filing petitions to be included on the ballot is two months away.

Southworth is in her first term, which would have ended next year had the county not opted to elect school board members.

"I feel I have a lot to offer," she said as she made her announcement after Tuesday's board meeting. "I have two children in the school system and a stepchild who graduated from it. My real goal is to do what's best for the children in the county."

In other matters, the board accepted a report from its facility committee that proposes a two-phase, $2.5 million construction program to ease overcrowding at the county school complex. The report is to be presented next month to the Craig County Board of Supervisors, which must allocate money for any projects.

Superintendent Dallas Helems said the cost figures developed by the committee are preliminary. He noted the committee hasn't completed any detailed plans concerning the project.

"The figures are just to give us an idea of what it would cost so we can decide where to go from here," he said.

The report calls for the first phase of the project to include $1.1 million in construction and renovations resulting in more classrooms at the elementary school and a new cafeteria and library for the school complex. The second phase would involve construction of a middle school.

Helems said a conceptual construction schedule developed by the committee could have the first phase of the project ready for use by the 1997-98 school year.

A state literary loan could finance the project at a 2 percent interest rate, he said. An approved design for the project must be filed before the county can get onto the 12- to 18-month waiting list for a loan.

In other matters, the board:

Will schedule a second public information meeting to explain the block scheduling plan that will implemented at the high school next year. The first meeting is held tonight ) at Craig County High School.

Approved a new health insurance policy to be offered employees. Helems said the new policy provides greater coverage and costs slightly more than the current policy. He said employees reaction has been positive to the new plan.