THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Wednesday, February 28, 1996 TAG: 9602270135
SECTION: ISLE OF WIGHT CITIZEN PAGE: 09 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY LINDA MCNATT, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: ISLE OF WIGHT LENGTH: Medium: 73 lines
The county Board of Supervisors voted 3-2 last week to provide $300,000 to the School Board to begin steps that could add a new Windsor elementary school by fall 1998.
The no votes came from Henry Bradby, who represents the Hardy District, and O.A. Spady of the Newport District.
``I have serious concerns,'' Bradby said, after Schools Superintendent Jane York told the supervisors it would cost $9.9 million to build the school. ``I'm a full supporter of the public schools, but we presently owe - how much? - $34 million. Now we're being asked to add another $9 million.
``Gentlemen, I know it's going to take a sizeable tax increase to satisfy that kind of debt.''
Spady said little, but he sided with Bradby.
``I'll have my say later,'' he said, shaking his head.
York told the supervisors that the existing Windsor Elementary School is ``an inadequate and over-crowded facility'' with 17 mobile classrooms.
``We've done demographic studies for four years,'' York said. ``We've adopted a moderate growth mode. The things we are studying now are to address immediate needs. The School Board has addressed all questions. We've studied it very thoroughly.''
York told the supervisors that overcrowding is a problem in the county's southern end, not only in Windsor Elementary but also in the middle school, which shares space with the high school. Windsor Middle/High School opened in the fall of 1994.
Board member Robert Claud, who represents the Windsor District, and Chairman Phillip Bradshaw supported the School Board's request.
``I think we need to commend the School Board for planning ahead,'' Bradshaw said. ``Not only have they been planning and building facilities, but the primary objective has been education. I continue to emphasize that you all are supporting education. We have to have the proper facilities.''
Malcolm Cofer, who represents the Smithfield District, suggested an alternative to full funding. He asked York if the School Board would be willing to accept enough initial funding to look into land acquisition, soil studies and design.
The supervisors' vote, then, was to appropriate the $300,000 to proceed with preliminary studies and land acquisition.
In another matter, the supervisors tabled a decision about allowing the city of Virginia Beach to dump water from the Lake Gaston pipeline into Ennis Pond.
Originally, the supervisors had agreed to allow the Beach to lay 11 miles of pipe through the southern end of the county to pipe water into the Suffolk lakes, used as reservoirs by several Hampton Roads cities. That proposal also included a pumping station. Last fall, Virginia Beach came back with the alternative plan, which could cut about $32 million from the project by eliminating the pumping station.
After hearing from citizens who spoke both for and against the proposal, the supervisors appointed Claud and Bradshaw to a committee working with the county attorney and director of utilities to meet with Virginia Beach officials and study the matter further.
In other business at last week's meeting:
The supervisors appointed Bradby to chair a committee to work with Christian Outreach to help attract entertainment-related businesses to Isle of Wight.
Unanimously approved a no-smoking ordinance covering county-owned buildings and directed the county attorney to work on a policy to support the ordinance.
Directed county Administrator Doug Caskey to work with the county attorney and utilities director to initiate discussions with the city of Suffolk regarding cooperative water extensions on U.S. Route 460, which joins the two localities. by CNB