Ross

ELKINS — A long line of speakers came out to voice support for Coalton and Midland elementary schools before the Randolph County Board of Education voted on whether to close the schools Tuesday night.

On Tuesday night, the Board voted 4-1 against closing Coalton Elementary and 3-2 against closing Midland Elementary.

A police-escorted caravan of more than 50 vehicles pulled into the Elkins High School parking lot just after 5 p.m. on Tuesday before the meeting. When it came time to address the BOE, more than 30 residents and students from Coalton stepped up to the podium individually.

Among the speakers were Coalton Mayor Jim Rossi, a former teacher and coach at Coalton Elementary; his brother, longtime local businessman and former state legislator Mike Ross, who organized the “Save Our School” meetings in Coalton earlier this month; and former Randolph County Prosecuting Attorney Earl Maxwell.

“It seems like the letter ‘C’ throughout the educational system is predominant in our state,” Rossi said. “The letter ‘C’ for consolidation and closure, is it working? I have some other C’s I would like you to consider tonight. And that is community, let’s look at community first. Then compassion, cooperation, credibility, and creativity…

“I think you as the Board members are very intelligent and very capable. And I hope you’re willing to step out and look at this. Don’t make a knee-jerk decision tonight. Let’s look at it. Let’s not close Coalton School.”

Maxwell followed Rossi and said, “You’ve been presented a proposal, an analysis, and a plan, a brilliant plan by the administration of this county. And it is full of the cold calculus of bureaucracy, purely looking at the tangibles. And why is it brought to you? Because that is your job.

“First, you must be convinced that the analysis is complete, transparent, and that you fully understand it and that you agree with the numbers. I think there’s a lot of questions about that. We have had a lot of numbers shifting around here. And I certainly don’t think it has always been explained to you where the money comes from and what has covered what. You know, I mean, Pickens is a good example, suddenly there is money. Perhaps we can figure out what that number is and get a couple exemptions for Coalton.

“But the reality is this. First you have to be convinced that they have fully informed you and that the plan that they have is a complete spectrum. But now you have to go and add the intangibles, because you are the voting power of the people and that’s your job,” Maxwell said.

“When you took this job and went down to the board office to get sworn in, that was more than a photo op. You took an oath. And if you are concerned about threats, and this is one of my pet peeves, people tossing around, oh this is illegal, this is criminal, this is whatever. I was a prosecuting attorney and the only person who can bring a criminal case is a prosecutor. And how it might affect licenses and stuff. Most people don’t understand that and quite frankly if that’s a concern, then you need to leave the board. Because your oath is to do this job with your best ability for the people who elected you. And if there’s a distraction that is preventing you, you have to set it aside or walk away from the Board, it’s a conflict. So I leave you with that thought and hope that you will apply your decisions.”

Mike Ross was the last to speak during Coalton’s section of allotted time to address the Board.

“Consolidation is not the answer,” Ross said. “I have helped colleges build dormitories, I helped the children’s hospital being built in Morgantown. Nobody has come down to me and said we need repairs at Coalton School.

“I’d like to invite the Board members, Mr. Dilly, and your maintenance people, to come down and show me what you need and how much money it’s going to cost. We may find some matching money for you and match you on some of the repairs… I’d like to see you vote no tonight, like to have all of your votes, but we will settle for three.”

Ross received a standing ovation from those in attendance as he returned to his seat for the remainder of the meeting. On Wednesday morning, Ross reached out to The Inter-Mountain and said the people of Coalton were “very happy” with the BOE’s decision.

“Everybody was blowing their horns when they saw my truck this morning,” Ross said. “They are very happy with how things went at the meeting. It would have put a hardship on these people if they would have chosen to consolidate. Everybody doesn’t live on a doctor’s salary.”

A strong contingent of Midland supporters also took to the podium Tuesday night to voice their concerns. Many said they couldn’t understand why their school was in danger of closing when it was the best in the county when it comes to test scores.

Many also questioned why Midland students would be sent to Beverly Elementary, a school they said had the worst test scores in the state, and a dangerous traffic pattern when it comes to picking up and dropping off children.

Michelle Riffle, speaking on behalf of the Midland Local School Improvement Council, said, “This decision, if carried out, would not only undermine the district’s highest performing academic program, but would remove from Randolph County the model that all other schools should try to emulate. Academic excellence that the district can not afford to lose…

“Safety and logistics you can not ignore. Beverly’s traffic pattern is already strained. Adding 180 more students will create gridlock at drop off and pickup, and increase the likelihood of accidents.”

Crystal Bodkin asked about the costs of consolidation.

“I personally want to know what it will cost if we have to bring modulars into Third Ward,” Bodkin said. “This, among many other things, were not listed in the closure documents. For example, I wonder what it will cost to modify the parking and the travel space around the school with the modulars. I know many of you all have had children who have gone to Third Ward. I personally worked there, I’ve been the parent pick-up and drop-off person and it’s a nightmare as it is. I wonder what it will cost to pay the ongoing rent or if we can find used units (modulars) alone.

“I wonder what it is going to cost to pay the staff, the moving crew, or whoever we decide to get to move everything and properly set up at Third Ward. I wonder what it is going to cost for an additional custodian and time to clean this space. I wonder if there will be bathrooms in the modulars and I wonder what it is going to cost just for a staff member to go use the restroom in the middle of teaching…

“I wonder what it will cost if Third Ward modifies their space and moves 14 classrooms into 17 classrooms,” Bodkin said. “Above and beyond the modulars, we are talking about adding several remodeling projects inside of an existing building… Is there really any savings?”

The next regular Randolph County Board of Education is scheduled for Tuesday at 5:30 p.m. at the Central Office.