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

DATE: FRIDAY, May 12, 1995                   TAG: 9505120061
SECTION: VIRGINIA                    PAGE: B-1   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: JOEL TURNER STAFF WRITER
DATELINE:                                 LENGTH: Medium

RICHMOND FIRM BLUNTS CRITICISM

A Richmond-based company got a controversial $1.2 million contract for architectural and engineering services for a proposed new Cave Spring High School, but three Roanoke Valley firms will receive 60 percent of the money.

The Roanoke County School Board has come under criticism for hiring the Moseley McClintock Group of Richmond to do a feasibility study on school facilities in Southwest County.

The firm, which has branch offices in Harrisonburg and Virginia Beach, will design and prepare the plans for a new high school if the study determines that is the best solution to school space needs.

County Supervisor Bob Johnson has questioned the hiring of Moseley McClintock, saying he was concerned about the money leaving the valley's economy. "Exporting the dollars to Richmond is disconcerting," he said.

School Board member Tom Leggette also has voiced concerns about the decision to go outside the Roanoke Valley for the architects and engineers.

But Bob Mills, president of Moseley McClintock, sought to blunt the criticism Thursday night by disclosing that three valley companies will work on the project.

Mills said the firms and their percentage of the fee are: Kisney Shane & Associates, 15 percent; Mattern & Craig, 12 percent; and Whitescarver, Hurd & Obenchain, 33 percent.

Mills told the School Board that Moseley McClintock previously has worked with some of the valley firms on projects.

Mills said his company has completed more than 300 school building projects in Virginia, including 77 in the past five years. Sixty-five percent of the firm's business is in school projects, he said.

Despite Leggette's objection, the School Board voted two weeks ago to hire Moseley McClintock for the project. Chairman Frank Thomas said the company's presentation at Thursday night's meeting on its background and experience was designed to show that it is well qualified for the job.

Thomas said earlier that several Roanoke Valley firms made proposals to the selection committee for the project architect, but Moseley McClintock was clearly the best choice.

Leggette said Thursday night that he still has questions about the contract for the architectural and engineering work, and he still has not seen a copy of it.

Leggette said he fears that the board might be obligated to pay the architectural and engineering fee to Moseley McClintock before county voters have approved a bond issue for the school, which is projected to cost in the range of $20 million.

But Homer Duff, director of facilities and operations for county schools, said the contract would be written so the schools would stop paying fees if funding were unavailable.

Leggette said the schools should not be required to pay the architectural and engineering fees before funding is available.

by CNB