On Oct. 14, Dilly canceled a public hearing and BOE vote on closing Pickens K-12 less than two hours before its scheduled start. Dilly announced on social media that “new information related to funding” had been received that “may support keeping Pickens open for an additional year.”

Since then, no further information has been provided about what the funding is and where it might come from.

The Pickens school situation was not mentioned during this week’s BOE meeting until the conclusion, when Dilly asked the Board members if they had any questions. BOE member Dr. Sherri Collett asked a question that seemed to be on many local residents’ minds.

“I have a question,” Collett said. “Can you explain to us why the Pickens hearing was canceled?”

Dilly

Dilly replied, “Based on some information I received that I’m not able to disclose, I got some information where we should be able to get some additional funding to support an additional year.

“Knowing that there were a lot of challenges with transportation, with that funding I rolled the dice a little bit, I’ll be honest with you on this,” he said. “That’s why I say it may have to be revisited depending on some of the decisions of this board. But my hope is that we can then allow them (Pickens) to have that additional year, because what that additional year does for them is they actually have five students that will be graduating from Pickens at that time.

“But then they (Pickens) will fall below the legal threshold of 20 students and state code, which means it’s a lot easier to close the school,” Dilly said. “But ultimately, I’d rather have that plan worked out with them well in advance. That allows that community, with the most challenging situations with transportation, to try and work that out with some sort of minimal plan moving forward.”

Collett replied, “So, there were just funds that magically appeared?”

Dilly answered, “Not magically, no.”

Collette asked, “Well, I mean, why can you not disclose where the funds are coming from?”

Dilly said, “It endangers those funds at this point.”

Collett stated, “OK, that’s all I wanted to know.”

The meeting closed without any further comment on the Pickens School situation.

On Oct. 8, the Board of Education voted 4-1 to close Harman School and 5-0 to close North Elementary School.

Next week, a public hearing and BOE vote on closing Coalton Elementary and Midland Elementary is is scheduled for Oct. 28, beginning at 5:30 p.m. at the Elkins High School Theatre.

Dilly proposed closure and consolidation for multiple schools after the Randolph County school system was placed in a State of Emergency by the West Virginia Department of Education in June.

The next regular Randolph BOE meeting is scheduled for Nov. 4 at 5:30 p.m.