Published: April 12, 2009 06:55 pm      

Pocahontas High becomes tool for economic growth

POCAHONTAS, Va. — The old Pocahontas High School has a new owner, and a new mission of promoting economic development and growth in Tazewell County.

The deed to the high school has been turned over to the Tazewell County Industrial Development Authority, Tom Brewster, a member of the county Board of Supervisors, said.

“The IDA has had a great amount of success in locating businesses and industry within the dwellings that are under their direction,” Brewster said. “We are certainly looking forward to the same kind of success happening at Pocahontas High School and the Pocahontas area.”

Brewster said an educational component also could continue at the high school.

“Bluefield College has expressed an interest, and we are certainly excited about the prospect of having Bluefield College as a partner,” Brewster said. “We are excited about the potential for Bluefield College to be involved.”

Brewster said a mutli-use function is still envisioned for the school, which was closed last year.

“I think so,” Brewster said of the multi-use vision. “Of course having been an educator and serving as principal there — to me having an educational hub or workforce training center would certainly be exciting for the community — and to have the teaching and learning process active in that building again. But we are looking at a multi-purpose format.”

The Board of Supervisors voted unanimously last week to turn the deed to the school over to the IDA.

“For the IDA to take on the Pocahontas High School project is just a good fit for everyone,” County Administrator Jim Spencer said. “The Tazewell County IDA is an aggressive and professional group that does an outstanding job. That is the group that is doing economic development on behalf of the Board of Supervisors.”

Spencer said Bluefield College, and others, have already expressed an interest in working with the IDA on the school project.

Brewster said the school is in “excellent shape.” School officials kept the heat on in the building over the winter.

“But it is important to get someone in there as quickly as possible so it continues to be in excellent shape,” Brewster said. “We have to work really hard. But my confidence in the IDA is extremely high. They are going to make this happen. They are going to make this work. They have a track record of success.”

— Contact Charles Owens at cowens@bdtonline.com