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HomeMy WebLinkAbout1989-10-02 adjOctober 2, 1989 (Adjourned Meeting) (Page 1) 51 An adjourned meeting of the Board of Supervisors of Albemarle County, Virginia, was held jointly with the School Board on October 2, 1989, at 8:00 A.M., Meeting Rooms #5/6, County Office Building, 401McIntire Road, Charlottesville, Virginia. This meeting was adjourned from September 20, 1989. BOARD MEMBERS PRESENT: Mr. Edward H. Bain, Jr. (arrived at 8:26 A.M.), Mr. F. R. Bowie, Mrs. Patricia H. Cooke (arrived at 8:24 A.M.), Messrs. C. Timothy Lindstrom, Walter F. Perkins and Peter T. Way. BOARD MEMBERS ABSENT: None. OFFICERS PRESENT: Mr. Guy B. Agnor, Jr., County Executive. Agenda Item No. 1. Call to Order. The meeting was called to order at 8:10 A.M. by the Chairman, Mr. Way. Agenda Item No. 2. Joint Meeting with School Board. SCHOOL BOARD MEMBERS PRESENT: Messrs. Charles S. Armstrong, Clifford W. Haury, William W. Finley, Charles~S. Martin, Charles R. Tolbert, and Roger R. Ward. SCHOOL BOARD MEMBERS ABSENT: Agenda Item No. 2a. Report: Mrs. Sharo~ Wood. 1989-90 E~rollment. Mr. Overstreet reported that the studentienrollment is up 260 students over last year. However, he said that figure!is short of the projected number of students by about 110. He said the trend Seems to indicate increasing enrollment should be expected in the urban areas, Ivy, Hollymead, Greet and Rose Hill. Mr. Agnor asked if the increase in enrollment at Murray School had any significance. Mr. Overstreet said last year was the first year for the Murray program, and the enrollment had been kept low .intentionally. The decision was made to allow up to 100 students and to monitor the program closely. Mr. Perkins asked to be provided with master schedules for each school. Mr. Overstreet said the middle and high schools have master schedules, while elementary schools do not. He said those couild be provided to the Board. Mr. Way asked if the student/teacher ratios were within the School Board policy range. Mr. Overstreet said the School.iBoard staffing guidelines allow for the use of aides in classes where the ratio is over the desired figure. With the use of aides, he said he thought adjustments had been made for every situation. He said the largest class is about 27 students at the fifth grade level. It depends on the grade level as to whether an aide would be used. He said a first grade class of 24 to 25 children ~ould have an aide, as well as most of the kindergarten classes. He said there were a few combination grades at the second and third grade or third and fourth grade levels because the two separate classes were not large enough. Mr. Overstreet said on a school-by-schooi basis, Crozet, Scottsville, and Yancey were under enrolled, which presented some difficulty in staffing in those schools. He said unfortunately, studentls do not actually fall into the projected slots in the smaller schools. Therefore, some of the smaller schools may have some smaller classes than th~ larger schools. Mr. Overstreet pointed out that the Central Office does not m~ke the decisions about the use of staff in each school. The individual princdpals decide whether classes will be combined or whether aides will be used-~ He said this is so because they understand the needs better at the schooi level. Mr. Overstreet was confident that all the ratio differences had been adjusted. Mr. Overstreet said another big issue this year has been transportation adjustments. He said Mr. Harold Grimes and his crew have worked on the scheduling, and it has taken about two weeks to get it all straight. He said the solution to one problem is pending a police report, and another has to do October 2, 1989 (Adjourned Meeting) (Page 2) with the length of time children are spending on the bus. those to be worked out soon. (Mrs. Cooke arrived at 8:24 A.M.) 52 He said he expected Agenda Item No. 2b. Review: Stony Point and Yancey Improvement Projects. Mr. Papenfuse introduced the architect, Mr. Todd Chambers from DB Associ- ates, in charge of the projects. (Mr. Bain arrived at 8:26 A.M.) Mr. Chambers said he understands that the Board would like to receive a description of the scope of work on these projects. He pointed out on a model the new gym and library facility planned at Stony Point. He said they were planning to add some classrooms because some classroom space would be lost in constructing the new facilities. He said there would be six new classrooms in each of these schools. The new gym at Stony Point will include a girls and boys locker room and gym storage area. The library will have an additional computer room. He said the building permit had just been obtained last week, and the improvements should proceed on schedule. He said both schools were bid under budget. He said the footers would be poured this week pending clear weather. Once that is completed, the project should proceed on sdhedule. Mr. Chambers said new floor tiles and ceiling lights have already been installed at Yancey School. Mr. Papenfuse pointed out that all the projects had been affected by the rainy weather. The new Crozet School is 31 d~ys behind. He said they are looking at ways of trying to make up that time. He said the end date of the project is July 1, with occupation of the building on August 1. Mr. Way asked if the asbestos removal wa~. completed at Yancey and Stony Point. Mr. Papenfuse said asbestos in the fl~or tile and ceiling had to be removed before the building permit could be obtained. Mr. Papenfuse said asbestos removal would be undertaken at Murray this summer. He said he is concerned about comple~ion dates. With good efforts on the part of the contractor, there should be e~ough time to complete the project. He said he would provide an update at the next meeting as to roof replacement at Stony Point School. ~' Agenda Item No. 2c. Discussion: Rose HiLl and Murray Projects. Mr. Overstreet said these school projects will be ready for Board appro- val as part of the Capital Improvement Projects process. He wondered how the Board felt about proceeding with an architect:~selection committee on these two schools before any allocations are made in order to save some time and without spending any money. ~ Mr. Papenfuse said both schools would need to be bid in April or May, and there is a concern about completion by September, 1991, if the process does not start until January. Mr. Way said there was some discussion at the public hearing about these projects, and asked what the objection was by !the public of moving Murray to Rose Hill. Mr. Martin said it only involves Clhanging one building for anoth- er, but Murray offers a better situation outside of the building in terms of security, and students have been putting together projects outside. He said at Rose Hill there is a security concern when ~hildren are outside. He said the real objection was the environment. Mr. T~lbert said the name is a concern as well since Murray has been accredited by the State as a high school. Mr. Martin said they want to let the Students make as many decisions as possible about the move. However, the SchoOl Board feels strongly that this is a change that has to be made rather thsn building another school. October 2, 1989 (Adjourned Meeting) (Page 3) 53 Mr. Tolbert said the move also has a lot to do with the redistricting issue. He pointed out that at the public hearing there was essentially no public expression concerning people from theRoute 240 area between Crozet and Route 250 being moved to Crozet School. He said neither did anyone come forward regarding moving half of the Meriwether Lewis students. Mr. Lindstrom asked how students and parents had been notified of the move. Mr. Papenfuse said there were two mailings as well as notices sent home with the children. Mr. Perkins said he had a concern about the Rose Hill and Murray project. He said money was just spent in remodeling Murray for a high school. Now there is a proposal to do something to Rose Hill so it will be acceptable for older children. Rose Hill has 350 elementary students this year. Mr. Perkins felt there was a need for elementary school space rather than high school. He said he has no problem with the necessity for an alternative education pro- gram, and feels it is important to prevent drop outs. On the other hand, he said it is reported that CA-TECH does not get enrollment because it is not a high school, and students do not feel the same association they do with a high school. He wondered if the alternative education program could be placed in a high school setting where enrollment is currently down. He recognized that there could be transportation problems in doing that. He pointed out that possibly the old Crozet Elementary School could be used for alternative education. Mr. Martin said when the City decided to. drop out of the joint AEP, the County spent a great deal of time and effort in researching alternative education programs to find out what works. He said he has clients who attend Murray, and he is proud of the way the program is run. He said the program could not exist within a regular high school,~and it is too good a program to dismantle. He said as a probation officer, he sees this program as one of the best in the State. : Mr. Perkins said he has no problem with ~he program. However, the School Board had asked that money be spent to renovate the Murray building, and within two years, is asking to move to another. Mr. Tolbert pointed out that most of thelcost of renovation at Rose Hill would be for asbestos removal. That money wo~ld have to be spent regardless of how the building is used because the asbestos is in the plaster. Mr. Papenfuse said the site at Rose Hill'iis also part of the parity issue. It is not conducive to becoming a larger elementary school because of the railroad tracks, and it could not have a gym added. He said there are six and one-half acres at Rose Hill, and 20 acresiiat Murray. Mr. Way asked for the request to be restated. Mr. Overstreet said the School Board would like to begin selecting the~ architect so the projects can be on schedule. Mr. Perkins asked what the transportatio~ arrangements are for the alternative education program. Mr. Harold Grimes, Director of Transportation, said the students ride the bus to either Western Albemarle or Albemarle, and then take a shuttle to Murray. In the afternoon, they are brought to the high schools for the return trip home on the regular school bus. He said it would be the same arrangement for Rose Hill. Mr. Perkins said the same arrangement should work if Crozet were to be used for the alternative education program. He asked if there were any plans with the City for a joint effort if the program moves to Rose Hill. Mr. Overstreet said it has not been discussed with. the City. Mr. Martin said the School Board is taking a slow approach with re~ard to increasing enrollment in the alternative education program. He said the City has a task force which began this week looking at the possibility of alternative education within their schools. Mr. Armstrong said the County has a waiting list for its alternative education program because of the limited enrollment. Mr. Tolbert said the capacity of the school may not be the issue. He said it is important for the principal to know!~the students in this type of October 2, 1989 (Adjourned Meeting) (Page 4) 54 program. He said there is a maximum number at which the program operates well. Mr. Way asked what timing is involved in the proposed change. Mr. Tolbert said the Rose Hill students would move to Cale next September. Then Rose Hill would be renovated. Next, Murray would move to Rose Hill, and Murray would be renovated for an elementary school. He said it should all be finished by September, 1991. Mr. Bain said much of the Murray project will be new construction if six new classrooms and a gym are added. Mr. Tolbert said that could be started while it is being used as a high school. Mr. Lindstrom asked the status of the new urban elementary school re- ferred to as the Whitewood Road school. He wondered if that had been reviewed by the Planning Com~nission. Mr. Tolbert said the initial report from the architects indicated that they had looked at six sites, of which theWhitewood Road location and the location behind Albemarle High were two. He said other sites included a location near the SPCA and one on Rio Road. The full report is expected by October 10. Mr. Lindstrom asked if the School Board has made any recommendation for the Planning Commission. Mr. Tolbert said they had not as yet. The project is not site specific at this point. Mr. Overstreet said the School Board will meet next Monday and will address this question at that time. Mr. Lindstrom said he has heard concerns with regard to the Whitewood Road site. He feels it is a priceless site for its current use as open space. Also it is in one of the most heavily populated areas of the County. He said there is talk of building a school and having some recreational use on the site as well. He has heard that would be difficult because of the topog- raphy, without changing the character of the~entire tract. A school there would be convenient to other schools but would intensify the use. He said he would like to avoid developing the Whitewood iRoad site because it is a valu- able site as open space, and it cannot be replaced. Regarding the land behind Albemarle High, he does not know how the County can tell developers they cannot build in the South Fork Rivanna watershed, then consider building a major new facility there. Mrs. Cooke agreed with Mr. Lindstrom. She said the density of the development in the Whitewood Road area makes~it a difficult place for resi- dents to find recreation. Many do not have t~ansportation to use other facilities in the community. She said it is !important that there be a place to expend excess energy, especially in dense%y populated areas. She asked that the School Board be sensitive to that issue in their deliberations on this matter. She said suitable recreation is a form of education which does not take place in the school room, but is necessary to the well being of people in that area. ~ Mr. Bowie said he could be added to the ~oncerned list. He said that 60 to 70 percent of the population is not involved in education, and they also need a place in which to walk around. Mr. Way said he feels the question is on~ of expense. It will cost more to find another site. Mr. Way said he is surprised that Mr. Bowie is telling the School Board to spend more money, i:i Mr. Lindstrom said a significant price iM being paid by the community when it is deprived of that open area. If some space is not preserved now, the opportunity will be lost. As population ~rows in the urban areas, money will have to be spent on recreation facilitie~i; otherwise those people are being imposed a stiff penalty in taxes for grgwth. He said the County has an obligation to provide a place for people who Cannot afford land in the country for recreation. Mr. Way said that was a poin~ well taken. Mr. Martin said, as a former resident of bne of these highly populated areas, he is not sure that people who live there would not prefer an area in which to play softball or tennis rather than ~ place to walk or jog through. He said he feels a study would indicate that ~he majority of people there would get more benefit from recreation facilities provided by a school. October 2, 1989 (Adjourned Meeting) (Page 5) 55 Mr. Lindstrom said the problem with the County's parks is that primarily organized teems use them. Using them only for softball fields is an intensi- fication of use. The average person who wants to run or walk cannot do it there. Mr. Martin said he was not referring to use by organized teems. He was referring to a place where a father and son could go together to pitch ball, for example. Mr. Tolbert said there are about 200 acres of undeveloped woodland behind Albemarle High School that would make a very interesting place for walking. It would be difficult to build on and ideal for a park. He said it would be convenient to people in Canterbury Hills and the Georgetown Road area as well. He said it is not clear to him that the only~potential for wild woods is at the Whitewood Road property. Mr. Lindstrom said it is more than just the need for a park that concerns him. He said locating a school there would be a major increase to what is already an intensely populated area. He said the School Board needs to look at all of these perspectives. Mr. Tolbert said the architects have indicated that it will cost between $400,000 and $700,000 to acquire another site in the urban area. He said if it is the desire of the Board of Supervisors to preserve the Whitewood Road property and use one of the other sites, it would make the job of the School Board simpler if they knew that. Mr. Bowie said it will have to be determined what is in the best interest of the County. If $400,000 is better spent here, that is what should be done even if some other project has to be deferred. Mr. Tolbert said the fact that some other project may have to slip is something that has to be considered when the School Board makes its decision. Mrs. Cooke said Mr. Lindstrom made a val~id point in that there are many other citizens whose needs have to be considered. Education is of primary concern; however, the Board cannot forget the other taxpayers in the County. The job of the Board of Supervisors is to be~sensitive to the entire communi- ty. ~ Mr. Bain said all the points are valid. He does not think the Board of Supervisors has looked closely at what the land can be used for at Whitewood Road or at the Albemarle High School site. Re said the possibility of combin- ing park facilities with a school site at the Whitewood Road site has not been looked at closely. He agreed that this kind,of open space is needed in the urban area. He said there may be another site in the County that has not been considered. Mr. Haury pointed out that the School's Long Range Planning Committee had selected Whitewood Road because their charge~had been an economic one. He said the Whitewood Road property was selected to solve the problem of enroll- ment in the urban area and for economic reasons. He said everyone on the Committee knew that if the choice was neithe~ Whitewood Road nor Albemarle High School, there would be costs associated ~ith another location. He said it can be said that both are priceless. The land behind Albemarle is in the watershed and is priceless in terms of the environment. Mr. Bowie said the Board has to look at schools within the context of providing services to everyone in the County. He said this is a ten year plan, but has to be looked at one year at a time. He said meeting the needs of all the people is the job of the Board, and this study addresses only one group. Mr. Perkins said this is why he brought Bp the change in the Rose Hill school. Here is an elementary school that could serve that area. He said maybe another year or two should be taken to Jtudy the issue. If the alterna- tive education progrem is moved, there are no options left. Mr. Finley said the School Board could not make a recommendation for the Planning Commission without some firm input from the Board of Supervisors. The architect's report on a new urban area school has not been released, and the public hearing on redistricting was just held. He felt it would be hard to make a decision under those circumstances. October 2, 1989 (Adjourned Meeting) (Page 6) 56 Mr. Lindstrom said he understands that this school is a top priority item. In this case, the site is a planning issue. He said the best way to move forward is for the School Board to make the decision they think is best and forward that decision to the Planning Con~nission. Mr. Martin said the School Board wants to know if the Board of Supervi- sors is saying it is willing to fund another site. Mr. Lindstrom said he is willing to see that the site at Whitewood Road is preserved. He said the Board could not tell the School Board what to do. Mr. Tolbert pointed out that there is more involved than just the park issue. It is the decision of who goes to the new school. The sites behind Albemarle High School or at on Berkmar Drive would require no change in districts. The three sites near Pen Park on Rio Road would require a change. There would have to be another pUblic hearing on redistricting, which Mr. Tolbert said is not a problem. He said the problem is that the public should know at the time the decision is being made as to what is the target area for districting. Mr. Finley said he would vote against the Albemarle High School site because it is in the watershed. Mr. Lindstrom agreed. He said it is a complicated set of problems in siting this school. Mr. Bowie said he would like to get some idea of what could be done by combining the property. He said he does not know what is behind Albemarle High School or what could be developed there. Mr. Lindstrom said an aerial photograph and a topographical map would be helpful. Agenda Item No. 2d. Discussion: $100,000 Technology Appropriation Request. Mr. Overstreet said the School Board is'aware of this although he has not had a formal discussion with them. He said an assessment of needs must be done to be sure there is not some more important use of these funds. Since this request was discussed before the Board last week, one more issue had come up at which needs to be looked at more closely before making a final decision. He would try to do that by Wednesday. Mr. Way said he thought the School Boardilneeded to be aware of what the Board had discussed during their meeting last!week with regard to this re- quest. He said there is approximately $114,000 available for the School Board to spend from the 1988-89 carry over balance.: He said that could be spent as the School Board wishes, but there would be no additional money available. Mr. Agnor explained that the total carry, over balance was $840,000. Of that, $300,000 had been allocated to the operating budget; $80,000 put into this year's budget for items not paid last year; and the Capital Fund received $350,000 of the School Fund balance. He said. there is approximately $114,000 left. The request from Mr. Overstreet was for $100,000. Mr. Way said the priority needs must be 8etermined, and he wanted the School Board to be aware of that discussion. Agenda Item No. 3. Adjourn. At 9:30 A.M., with no further business to come before the Boards, the meeting was adjourned.