The Shadow
HOT SPRINGS — The Bath County School Board has started preliminary Capital Improvement Plan discussions for fiscal years 2015-20.
The division’s CIP requests must be submitted to county administration by Friday, Jan. 9. This would allow a final school board decision at its Jan. 6 meeting.
During their regular November meeting Tuesday night at Bath County High School, the school board discussed items that could be included in the CIP.
Those items discussed for possible inclusion in 2015-16 include the purchase of two school buses, curtain and carpet replacement in the auditorium at Bath County High School, replacement of a truck, restroom upgrades at all three schools, air conditioning in gyms at BCHS and Valley Elementary School, crowning of the football field and bleacher railings on the home side of the BCHS football field.
Among other possibilities are concession stand upgrades proposed by Chairman Cathy Lowry, shelters for football teams at Carl F. Williams Field, proposed by Rhonda Grimm, and lights on the baseball and softball fields, suggested by Dr. Ellen Miller.
Parking lot improvements at BCHS are also included in the plan, although school officials are already receiving proposals for an engineering study that outlines measures such as drainage.
The project would also include lights, paving and lining the parking lot.
Superintendent Sue Hirsh said she had received eight proposals for the engineering study.
“Right now, I have reviewed all eight,” she said. “I have selected the top three.”
Hirsh said school board member Eddie Ryder had also examined the proposals.
“We agreed on the top two,” Hirsh said. “We had a different third.
Hirsh provided copies of the proposals for the other school board members.
“What we need to do is select from those eight responses the 2-3 that we actually want to hold interviews with,” Hirsh said.
The school board will continue CIP discussions in December before a final draft is sent to county administration in January.
“I do think that this year our emphasis should be on buses,” Dr. Miller said. “We’ve got to choose those buses over other things. I don’t think we can keep sacrificing the buses for other things.”
“I think we’ve got some things to think about,” Lowry added.
Also Tuesday night, Hirsh updated the board on a proposal to designate a portion of U.S. 220 in front of Bath County High School as a “school zone.”
The project would include the installation of signs that would slow traffic during the school day.
Hirsh said the project was outlined to her by Supervisor Cliff Gilchrest and Susan Hammond from the Virginia Department of Transportation.
The Bath County Board of Supervisors may discuss the proposal at their meeting next week.
Ryder said he would prefer “Congested Area” signs on Rt. 220 to the proposed School Zone designation.
Nonetheless, Hirsh said the flashing lights “could prevent somebody from traveling at a speed where someone was injured.”
She added, “If it helps prevent one accident, I say it’s well worth it.”
The school board will be updated on the proposal following discussion by the board of supervisors.
“I think it’s well worth getting some information, Lowry said. “I have no problem looking into it.”
In other business Tuesday night, the school board took no stance on a staggered terms proposal under consideration by the board of supervisors.
Supervisors will hold a public hearing on the proposal during their meeting next Tuesday.
“I think it’s their decision,” Ryder said. “My feeling is that we just stay out of it. I think our best action is no action.”
School board member Bill Manion concurred.
“I don’t think we need to do anything,” he said.
Also Tuesday night, the school board:
— reviewed pupil-teacher ratios for the 2014-15 school year;
— appointed Ryder as the school board’s representative on the county insurance committee;
— approved the appointment of Larry Grubbs as weightlifting coach;
— recognized VSBA Academy Awards winners that included: Dr. Ellen Miller: Award of Achieve-ment; Rhonda Grimm and Bill Manion: Award of Excellence; Cathy Lowry: Award of Honor; Sue Hirsh: Award of Distinction.
