ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1996, Roanoke Times
DATE: Saturday, March 9, 1996 TAG: 9603110024
SECTION: CURRENT PAGE: NRV-1 EDITION: NEW RIVER VALLEY
DATELINE: RINER
SOURCE: LISA APPLEGATE STAFF WRITER
MEMO: ***CORRECTION***
Published correction ran on March 12, 1996.
Falling Branch Elementary School is located in Christiansburg. An
article in the Saturday New River Current about the Riner school
controversy incorrectly stated Falling Branch's location.
Almost 200 residents and parents filled their high school auditorium Thursday night, trying to keep a proposed elementary school from splitting the community.
Most agreed the area desperately needs a new school to replace the overcrowded, trailer-ladened Bethel and Riner elementary schools.
But many criticized taking usable farm land - a precious commodity as the once-rural landscape is developed into an urban scene - at what they say is an unfairly low price.
One consensus was reached during the three-hour discussion: give the Board of Supervisors an earful at its next meeting Monday night.
PTAs from the Riner and Bethel areas organized Thursday's public hearing "to provide information and clear up some confusion" about the new school, said Riner Elementary Principal Keith Rowland.
Much of the confusion has stemmed from the on-again off-again negotiations to buy 40 acres behind the present elementary, middle and high school campus.
The Board of Supervisors voted to condemn the land, part of a farm held in trust by Central Fidelity Bank for Ronald Salmons. The School Board chose the 40 acres after a local committee of parents and teachers said they wanted the new school on the same campus as the other schools.
But the supervisors later reversed their decision and suggested using a smaller, 20-acre site - a size the School Board contends will not work.
A map displayed during Thursday's meeting showed an L-shaped piece of land around the present campus dotted with baseball and soccer fields, tennis courts, playgrounds and parking areas.
Riner needs recreation facilities for the children and the community, several parents said. But only if the price is right.
"We are not here to see our community divided on this issue," said parent Glenda Thomas. "I'm wondering if we are offering [Salmons] a fair price."
School Board member Barry Worth, who represents Riner, said the county purchased 21 acres for Falling Branch Elementary at $152,862, or $7,061 an acre. The 28 acres at Kipps Elementary cost $510,000 or $17,967 an acre. Both schools are in Blacksburg.
When the county planned to condemn Salmons' land, officials offered the trust $109,980, or about $2,760 an acre.
"Perhaps there lies the problem," Thomas said, and the crowd responded with a loud round of applause.
Worth encouraged audience members to take their questions and comments to the supervisors' meeting Monday night, and added the county administrator's number to an overhead so that people could add their names to the public comment list.
Supervisors Joe Stewart and Mary Biggs attended the meeting; Henry Jablonski, who represents the Riner area, was out of town and could not attend.
Still, several in the audience criticized the supervisors for not coming to hear their concerns.
"How's the information ... going to get to the supervisors when they're not here?" asked parent Ed Stike.
One member of the crowd wondered out loud whether Salmons would accept more money for his land if it were offered.
"My family's been farming land since '32," Salmons responded. "I really love the land - it's part of my heritage."
People who want to address the board will have three minutes during the Monday night meeting, which begins at 7 p.m.
Aside from hearing Riner residents' thoughts on the school, the supervisors will hold a public hearing on the first bond sale to pay for the project.
The board will take comments on its plan to sell $3.87 million in general obligation bonds this spring through the Virginia Public School Authority. The bond sale does not require voters' approval because it is taking place through the authority; the county isn't selling the bonds on its own.
The Board of Supervisors also has scheduled an executive, or closed, session, to discuss the property negotiations for the Riner school site.
Staff writer Brian Kelley contributed information for this story.
LENGTH: Medium: 82 linesby CNB