The Alleghany County Board of
Commissioners reconvened the recessed meeting from
Present: Chair Eldon Edwards, Vice-Chair Warren Taylor,
Commissioner Graylen Blevins, Commissioner
Chair Eldon Edwards called the meeting
to order at
Chair Eldon Edwards explained that the
primary reason for this meeting is to discuss the Blevins property option. He talked about scheduling conflicts that
prohibited meeting between now and the date the option expires.
Charles Joines opened the meeting for
the Board of Education and asked for a moment of silence.
Charles Joines reiterated the purpose
of this meeting is to discuss the Blevins property option.
Commissioner Ken Richardson asked for
the drawings from the March 14 meeting to be displayed to provide clarification
from yesterday’s Commissioners’ meeting.
Frank Williams displayed the drawings
and explained the properties shown on the map.
Frank Williams illustrated the location
of the school bus garage. He talked
about looking at the school bus garage this afternoon, and there is a lot of
possibilities on the amount of land that is there.
Commissioner Graylen Blevins and Frank
Williams talked about a location for a future bus garage on the same property
as the current bus garage. Mr. Williams
explained how the additional property at the bus garage could be graded and
used.
Frank Williams explained in detail the
pieces of property shown on the map and the need to get the additional land in
order to square the property up. He
mentioned about possibly getting a right-of-way across the top of the property
to provide another exit. He continued
explaining the map in more detail.
Charles Joines talked about the larger
piece of property goes to
Commissioner Warren Taylor and Charles
Joines discussed the location of the Tilley and Truitt properties.
Commissioner Warren Taylor and Charles
Joines talked about purchasing the Choate property and owning property all of
the way beyond the current bus garage.
Commissioner Ken Richardson asked if
the Choate property isn’t purchased, what happens to the proposed
Charles Joines displayed the answer by
showing where the road would be placed.
Frank Williams talked about moving the
road would work but it would be more expensive because not having enough land
to transition it in. He stated that location
would be better than it is now.
Charles Joines reminded everyone that
this piece of property will be available in the very near future.
Commissioner Warren Taylor asked about
the parking area being a tiered-parking area.
Frank Williams explained the different
levels of the parking area. He talked
about the parking lots are a nice playing area for the kids if you have gates
to close off any traffic. He further
talked about the bus parking area and the bus maintenance area being realigned
to allow for more access on the bus property.
He stated that the Boards should look at buying any property adjacent to
the schools that become available because it will be needed sooner or later.
Commissioner Graylen Blevins, Charles
Joines and Frank Williams discussed the current use of the properties shown on
the map.
Commissioner Ken Richardson asked if
anyone has checked on the zoning for the Blevins property. He mentioned that it is zoned residential,
neighborhood business, possibly. He
talked about it would have to be rezoned.
Duane Davis stated that he had talked
to Bryan Edwards about moving the road, and he was very interested in doing
that.
Charles Joines and Frank Williams
displayed where the road is currently on the drawings.
Charles Joines talked about the
insurance carrier’s issues with this street’s location. He talked about moving the road.
Commissioner
Duane Davis stated that he didn’t
mention rezoning. He further stated that
the conversation was about moving the road.
Commissioner
Commissioner Ken Richardson stated that
any time you take a piece of residential property and make a change; it must go
before the Planning Board.
Clarence Crouse mentioned calling Bryan
Edwards tonight to get his opinion on the zoning matter.
Commissioner Warren Taylor asked what
is the price to renew the option.
Charles Joines stated that it is
$3,250; the same as the first option.
Commissioner Ken Richardson verified
that the option payments are subtracted from the purchase price.
Charles Joines stated yes they are.
Commissioner Ken Richardson stated that
he doesn’t think this is an issue but it needs to be raised any time you buy a
piece of property in order to explore anything that might be a potential
problem down the road.
Commissioner Graylen Blevins talked
about the zoning process has a lot of time involved.
Commissioner
County Manager
Commissioner Warren Taylor and
Commissioner Graylen Blevins discussed that the current owner of the property
is who must asked for it to be rezoned.
Commissioner
Chair Eldon Edwards said that the Board
needs to decide what to do with the option.
He mentioned calling Bryan Edwards to get his opinion on this matter.
Commissioner Graylen Blevins and County
Manager
Commissioner Ken Richardson explained
that in the future the Board of Education might decide to build a building on
the property is the reason to rezone it now.
He reiterated that he doesn’t think it is an issue.
Commissioner Warren Taylor asked if the
motel property and other school-owned properties have ever been rezoned.
Thee Board of Commissioners talked
about having all of the properties rezoned if that hasn’t been completed.
Commissioner Graylen Blevins asked
about doing a purchase agreement depending on the property being rezoned.
The Board of Commissioners, Board of
Education and County Manager
Charles Joines stated that he would
like to see the Commissioners purchase the property because he doesn’t think
there will be any rezoning issues.
Commissioner Graylen Blevins, Chair
Eldon Edwards and Charles Joines talked about the water and sewer lines in
relation to the Blevins property.
The Board of Commissioners, Board of
Education and County Manager
Commissioner Ken Richardson made a
motion to renew the option with the understanding that the Board will authorize
the purchase of the property assuming that the zoning, environmental, water,
sewer can be resolved then the purchase will be done within the 90-day
option. Commissioner
Commissioner Ken Richardson talked about
issues that the Commissioners talked about at yesterday’s meeting including the
financing must be on a bond referendum and that the Board of Education had
resolved that there will be a middle school at the
Commissioner
Charles Joines stated that he agrees
about including
The Board of Commissioners and Board of
Education discussed the reasons for a bond referendum versus a lease-purchase, selling
the idea, rooms becoming available at the outlying schools when the upper
grades move to the middle school, more architect and design work is needed, getting
support and ideas from the outlying schools, educating the public on the plans,
looking at all of the options, no options have been decided on, the need to
decide to have all elementary schools or combination of elementary and a middle
school.
Commissioner Warren Taylor stated that
the Commissioners talked extensively about the responsibilities of each
board. He further stated that during
those conversations it was brought up that the Board of Commissioners shouldn’t
be the board to be recommending which direction the educational system follows.
He said that he doesn’t think the Commissioners
should be involved that in decision.
Chair Eldon Edwards stated that he
recommends for the schools to formulate a plan or the option that they think is
best and then bring that back to the Commissioners.
Charles Joines stated that he has
agrees that the Board of Education needs to decide what is needed and bring it
back to the Board.
Commissioner Ken Richardson and Charles
Joines discussed the urgency of getting the space-needs issues taken care of at
Clarence Crouse discussed the immediate
need at
Commissioner Warren Taylor stated that
those issues need to be addressed in the School Board’s budget request.
Chair Eldon Edwards stated that the Commissioners
will provide assistance in way the Board can.
The Board of Commissioners and Board of
Education discussed the use of mobile classrooms.
Commissioner
Joel Souther talked about this was a
starting point for the space-needs issues.
Faron Atwood talked about having a
meeting at each of the elementary schools in order for everyone to have an
opportunity to have input on the space-needs issues.
Duane Davis stated his appreciation
to the Board of Commissioners and the Board of Education. He talked about issues that have been
discussed at this meeting. He further
talked about architect fees on the work already completed by the
architect. He explained the agreement
with the architects.
Commissioner Warren Taylor, Duane
Davis and Frank Williams explained the arrangements for architect fees. Mr. Williams talked about ways to build a
structure instead of using modular units.
He further explained that he would like to have their out-of-pocket
expenses covered if a construction project isn’t performed.
Chair Eldon Edwards and Frank
Williams talked about these structures being self-contained. Mr. Williams invited everyone to see one that
is under construction in
The Board of Commissioners and Frank
Williams talked about this concept and additional work on the space-need
issues.
Commissioner Ken Richardson stated
the discussion about these fees should have taken place before the accumulation
of a $13,000 bill. He talked about the
speed of the space-needs issues is left up to the Board of Education.
Commissioner Ken Richardson made a
motion to approve paying the architect bill.
Commissioner Warren Taylor seconded the motion.
Commissioner Warren Taylor asked for
a study on the remaining costs and put that request in the budget.
Commissioner Ken Richardson
retracted his motion.
John Farrelly talked about a meeting
at
Janice Linker explained that when
the needs at
Susan Murphy explained the reasons
why the Sara Lee building is a good idea for
Charles Joines asked if the other
two schools would like to set a date for a meeting at their locations about
facility needs.
Phil Howell stated that he will need
to check the calendar before setting a date for the
Commissioner
Faron Atwood stated that everyone is
looking for information not necessarily to present anything.
Phil Howell talked about providing
parents a little bit of direction about what they need to provide information
about.
John Farrelly said that it should
really be present status of the schools, programs, needs and then possible
options to consider without getting into the dollars.
Commissioner
Gary West talked about the need to
reassure the community that the children’s education won’t be comprised.
County Manager
The Board of Education and Gary West discussed
the meeting with the communities.
Judd Starling stated that most of the
time it is how the information is presented not necessarily what is presented.
Charles Joines talked about creating a
package to send out to everyone.
John Farrelly talked the difference
between
Charles Joines stated that this has
been a good productive meeting.
The Boards talked about having more
meetings on this subject.
Being no further business, Commissioner
Warren Taylor made a motion to adjourn the meeting at
Charles Joines adjourned the meeting at
Respectfully
Submitted,
Clerk
to the Board
Attest:
Eldon
Edwards
Chairman