"The mediocre teacher tells. The good teacher explains. The superior teacher demonstrates. The great teacher inspires".

-William Arthur Ward

Students and Teachers

May 7, 2008
 
Teachers, You Could Have Received A Pay Increase!
 
Do you want to hear the truth?
The Board of Supervisors were convinced by Chris McKlarney to approve approximately $900,000 for development of the property behind WalMart.
This was primarily for the hospital site and roadways.
Mr. McKlarney assured the supervisors that the county had enough money to fund this project without a tax increase.
Do you find it coincidental that this amount equals the amount of money the supervisors have asked the school board to relinquish by not giving you the pay increase recommended by the school superintendent and approved by the school board?
 
The supervisors have leaned on the current county administrator and believed him without barely a question; this must stop!
When the county administrator is wearing two hats and one of the hats is as the county Economic Development Director, it doesn't take a brilliant mind to see the conflict.
Mr. McKlarney has said he thinks county businesses are paying more than their fair share of taxes.
He has encouraged spending taxpayer money for projects such as the site development previously mentioned.
He favors Carilion by endorsement of the current county contract with them for ambulance service. Possibly you aren't aware that the county subsidizes Carilion ambulance service to the tune of over $160,000 per year. This money is above and beyond what your insurance company pays Carilion to transport you to a hospital. This contract is something Mr. McKlarney has been requested by this writer to either renegotiate or cancel and he has refused to do either.
 
Where is the leadership on this matter?
 
Mr. McKlarney serves at the pleasure of the Board of Supervisors and it seems obvious that they are pleased with his performance.
 
Are you pleased with the performance of Mr. McKlarney?
 
He is solely responsible for you not receiving the 5% pay increase proposed by the school board to the supervisors.

Student and Teacher Involvement - Practical Education

December 7, 2007
 
Students and teachers have an opportunity to learn, first hand, how our local government operates. There is so much to be learned by occassionally attending Board of Supervisors meetings. Issues such as the following are often discussed:
*Local zoning
*Virginia Department of Transportation projects
*County property tax funding for budgets
*Expenditures requiring local in lieu of state or federal funding
*Local constitutional officer issues
*Supervisor appointments to local boards
*Interaction between the school board and the supervisors
*Issues requiring the county attorney to provide legal advice
*Issues requiring help from our elected state and federal government officials
 
Exposing students to these and other important issues will broaden their minds and give them a better understanding of the inner-workings of government from the local level up. Classroom discussion after attending these meetings would be a great forum for teaching the students about the basics of urban affairs and political science.
If this exposure influences one or more students to attend college and major in urban affairs or political science, what a difference the teacher will have made in the life of those students.
Our country needs more professionals educated in these fields. Future government administration and political involvement is going to become much more sophisticated and our educational system must respond now to this need.
Teachers - help your students to become a part of the solution to tomorrows problems.

Board of Supervisor Meeting Schedule
 
First Thursday of each month: 10:00 AM
 
Third Thursday of each month: 6:30 PM
 
Visit the county web site to view a copy of the meeting agenda, verify time and location of the meeting, and view the approved minutes from previous meetings:
 
 
If a teacher or student desires to speak during the Public Comment portion of the meeting, use the signup sheets that are located on a table in the meeting room and submit to the Executive Secretary, Susan Kidd, prior to start of the meeting.
 
If the teacher desires to provide advance notification about the students scheduled attendance at a Board of Supervisor meeting, contact Susan Kidd in the county administration office at 921-2525.