Published: August 06, 2008 10:07 am            

School renovations step closer in Tazewell

TAZEWELL, Va. — The Tazewell County Board of Supervisors took another step forward Tuesday toward the start of long-planned school renovations.

The board voted unanimously to authorize a public hearing for Thursday, Sept. 4, on the proposed issuance by the county of general obligation school bonds in the estimated maximum amount of $8.7 million to finance capital improvement projects for public schools.

The board also delayed action Tuesday on the creation of a new joint economic development authority to oversee the development of the Bluestone Regional Business and Technology Park; received a petition from residents of the Peel Chestnut Mountain community who are upset about having a Bluefield, Va., address; and learned from County Treasurer Norman Cook that the county had a 96 percent tax collection rate for 2007.

County Attorney Eric Young asked the board to table action on the creation of the joint economic development authority until September. Young said the participating towns of Bluefield and Richlands are holding their own public hearings on the creation of the joint authority. Young said the county should delay action until after the towns complete their own public hearings.

Tommy Childress, a resident of Pocahontas, presented the petition on behalf of the Peel Chestnut Mountain community. Childress said residents in the community live a good 10 to 14 miles away from Bluefield, Va., but still have a Bluefield, Va., address.

“We don’t want our address in Bluefield, Va.,” Childress said. “We don’t live in Bluefield, Va. It’s very unfortunate. We are upset over this.”

Board chairman Bill Rasnick said officials would see what they could do to help the community with changing its address.

The $8.7 million bond resolution for the school renovations will be presented to the Circuit Court Clerk of Tazewell County next month The county hopes to close on the bond funding by November.

The board voted last month to move forward with up to $2 million in general obligation bonds to kick-off the long-planned school renovations.

The first five literary loan applications approved last month will allow for heating and air-conditioning upgrades at five elementary schools — Tazewell, Richlands, Cedar Bluff, Springville and North Tazewell.

The school system is expected to realize overall cost savings as a result of the new heating and air-conditioning upgrades.

— Contact Charles Owens at cowens@bdtonline.com

        

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