By Jackie Ayres
Raleigh County school officials said Tuesday night they are considering asking the state for money to build a new elementary school in the Marsh Fork area, and that they may approach Massey Energy for financial assistance.
The current Marsh Fork Elementary sits in the shadows of Massey’s Goals Coal Co. operations, namely a coal storage silo with another one planned. Environmentalists have argued Massey is putting the health of the students at risk.
The school board met Tuesday to discuss submission of a potential “needs project” to the state School Building Authority, and a new Marsh Fork Elementary was the major topic.
“The one reason I wanted to meet is because there’s an unusual amount of funding available this funding cycle through the School Building Authority,” school board president Rick Snuffer said.
“We’ve talked about different projects. As far as schools go, we’re in good shape in our high schools and middle schools. The need area, I think everyone would agree, would be our elementary schools.”
Snuffer says building a new Marsh Fork Elementary “would correct a lot of political problems in the county.”
“I just look at this as a way to fix an issue,” he continued. “We’ve been told everything’s safe, but if we have an option of building a new school and get it out of the way, I guess for me it’s a win-win situation. What’s the negatives on building a new school down there?”
The board also discussed approaching Massey CEO Don Blankenship regarding financial assistance.
“I think we could meet with them and get something,” board member Gordie Roop said. “Say, ‘Why don’t you build a new school here?’ See if they’d help. They might build the whole school.”
“Ask Massey how much they’d put toward a new school,” assistant superintendent Racine Thompson said.
The SBA places various requirements and criteria on needs project submissions.
“Would they approve the building of a new school because you don’t like the environment it’s in?” board member Larry Ford asked.
“You can build replacement schools. Fairdale’s a replacement school. It’s just replacing the old school with a new school if the need is there,” Superintendent Charlotte Hutchens said.
Snuffer says building a new Marsh Fork Elementary could carry an estimated $5 million price tag.
He says regardless of which project Raleigh County chooses to submit, he doesn’t think the county needs to provide any of its own money.
“We’ve provided funding on every project we’ve done and most counties don’t. We would just provide the site.”
Snuffer said Raleigh County would be competing against other counties for state funding and there was no guarantee it would be approved.
“As a board you can choose to submit any project that you want,” Hutchens said.
“Lots of times people ask for major construction projects. The needs project is the one that you can ask for unlimited money. There’s no limit on what you can ask.”
Board members also discussed submitting a six-classroom addition and new cafeteria at Shady Spring Elementary School, which could cost an estimated $2 million.
If the board votes to submit a needs project, “there’s work that has to be done to get it ready” by the Nov. 2 submission deadline, Hutchens said.
Once a project is submitted, the SBA typically sends representatives out to review the project and determine the level of need.
Hutchens and Thompson said they will present board members with cost figures on a new Marsh Fork Elementary and the Shady Spring project at the next board meeting slated for 5:30 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 13. The board will also vote on its needs project submission at the meeting.
— E-mail: jayres@register-herald.com
