ROANOKE TIMES 
                      Copyright (c) 1996, Roanoke Times

DATE: Sunday, September 8, 1996              TAG: 9609090007
SECTION: CURRENT                  PAGE: NRV-2 EDITION: NEW RIVER VALLEY 

COMMUNITY OBSERVER CORPS

The Community Observer Corps is a coalition of community organizations that monitors several of Montgomery County's local government boards each month. Following are their comments about board actions taken in July and August. The observer this month was from the League of Women Voters of Montgomery County.

Plus

The County School Board held its annual retreat in Montgomery County, rather than in Charlottesville this summer for the dual purposes of saving taxpayer money and spending the funds locally.

Minus

During three meetings in August, the School Board spent 111/2 hours in closed executive sessions discussing disciplinary actions, salaries and land purchases. The only major decisions reported from the closed sessions were reinstatement of a student and a 6 percent raise for Superintendent Herman Bartlett.

On Aug. 12, 25 to 30 people waited for a chance to speak on the recommended appointment of a principal for the new Riner Elementary School but were denied. They were denied a second time when they returned for the Aug. 20 session.

(The observer this month was from the League of Women Voters of Montgomery County. Other coalition members include: Planned Parenthood, the Sierra Club, Montgomery County Mainstream Citizens, Volunteers Action Center, New River Environmental Coalition, Montgomery County Education Association.)

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