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GOV. WISE ANGRY AT SCHOOL BUILDING AUTHORITY - Williams Speaks About Administration Consolidation |
| (12/18/2003) |
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Gov. Bob Wise has fired two members of the School Building Authority after he says the authority "complicated" and delayed efforts to fund the projects approved by the state Economic Development Grant Committee. Wise said the School Building Authority failed to inform his office of their visit to New York City to sell their latest series of School Building Authority bonds. The governor blamed Clacy Williams, the executive head of the School Building Authority, for failure to communicate. Wise indicated he cannot replace Williams, because he is hired by the authority. Wise indicated the authority is showing less responsibility to the citizens, operating in an independent manner. The authority, which provides money to implement school consolidation and school repair, issued $180 million to schools this week, the largest amount of money distributed to public schools at one time. Wise said the authority's visit to New York has interfered with the state's efforts to insure the grant committee bonds. "It bothers me because we were going out at the same time for the grant committee bonds. You can't have one group going up to New York for one bond issue and then have another group traipsing up for another without some sort of coordination. It makes the state look bad," said Wise. The governor replaced board members John Wooton and Sally Holliday, whose terms were expiring, with Robert Holroyd and Nicholas Preservati. Wooton, a Beckley lawyer, had been the authority's finance chairman and served on its board since its creation 14 years ago. Williams reportedly objected to the replacements. The School Building Authority is a creation of the State Department of Education, that has moved on closing hundreds of small community schools. Currently consolidation has caused a suit in Lincoln County, where students are on bus rides of one and one-half hours. Executive Director Williams spoke to a "by invitation only" meeting of county superintendents and officials last week regarding the consolidation of the administration of state schools, using the RESA system to replace more local control. County school boards, which have little control now over local schools, would have a further decline in their need to exist. There was no press attendance at the special meeting.
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