June 9 2017.Qxd

CLAYTOR LAKE BEACH FESTIVAL - SATURDAY Distributed Free Each Friday Since 2009 June 9, 2017 www.pcpatriot.com Locally Owned And Operated $45.7 Million Proposed new middle school would be built along Route 11 near PCHS By MIKE WILLIAMS tion and expansion of Dublin Middle School to The Patriot house a combined county middle school had been found to not be feasible. The proposed new combined middle school for Motley said from there the firm began by identi- Pulaski County will cost $45.7 million, and be built fying 13 potential sites for a new middle school, between Pulaski and Dublin directly across Route before whittling that number down to three. 11 from Walter's Trailer Park and Cougar Express. Eventually the 370-acre site along Route 11, That was the big news Wednesday evening dur- owned by Pulaski County Farm Properties, LLC of ing a public hearing held by the Pulaski County Christiansburg was deemed as the best site for the School Board in the Little Theatre of PCHS. new combined middle school. The event featured presentations by the project Motley called the plans for the school "modest architect, RRMM Architects, and Pulaski County and restrained." He noted the targeted enrollment School Superintendent Dr. Kevin Siers and for the school is 1,000 students, with a maximum of Assistant Superintendent Chris Stafford. 1,200 students. The RRMM proposal is expected to be endorsed The school includes 162,000 square feet - or an officially by the school board next Tuesday at their average of 149 square feet per pupil - while the cur- regular monthly meeting. From there the proposal rent state average is 160 feet. will be sent on to the Board of Supervisors for their "From the outset we want you to see the design consideration. of the school represents a lot of restraint and a lot Ben Motley with RRMM opened the presenta- tion Wednesday by briefly discussing how renova- See SCHOOL, page 4 WEEKEND WEATHER SATURDAY SUNDAY Sheriff Jim Davis to Sunny, with a high near 82. SundaySunny, with a high near Calm wind becoming west 86. around 5 mph in the afternoon. retire at end of month Sunday Night: Mostly clear, Saturday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 61. with a low around 58. By MIKE WILLIAMS The Patriot Pulaski County Sheriff Jim Davis is retiring as of June 30. Davis has served as sheriff since 1997. According to Davis, Major Michael Worrell will serve as interim sheriff. Davis spoke about his retirement decision earlier this week. "We had talked about it in 2015 - my family and I had. We were getting ready to move into a new building, we were in the process of taking over the school resource officers and things like that and had a lot of things going on. We'd hired some new people. I just felt like it was a good time to stay," Davis said. "Everything has worked out. We've got a great bunch of people who work here. We've hired a bunch of great people. Ninety percent of the people we've hired are just superior. It's (sheriff's office) in really good hands, and I'm at the age now when I Pulaski County Sheriff Jim Davis think I need to slow down and take a break. "At one point I thought when I retired I want to ed to stay the average sheriff's term - two terms, do this, this and this. Now I'm at the point I don't maybe three … 8 or 12 years if I was fortunate - know if I particularly want to do anything," Davis and as it worked out 20 years later I'm retiring. I've said. been blessed and very fortunate to have this career. "I've been blessed. I came in in 1997 and it But also too, I know what keeps me here - the offi- dawned on me I'd been in office 20 years. I expect- See DAVIS, page 11 Page 2 - The Patriot - Friday, June 9, 2017 Council members tangle over committee system By MIKE WILLIAMS tion of Tuesday's meeting, Town said he was surprised at having a staff develop a budget, and it is the problem is by not addressing it. The Patriot Manager Shawn Utt told council motion without first having a responsibility of the finance com- It's still the elephant in the room. that Radcliffe had asked that dis- chance to discuss the situation. mittee to help steer that budget That creates the problem that if Tempers flared Tuesday night at cussion of the committee system "What is the issue with the com- direction the way we - the repre- we're not playing together as a a meeting of Pulaski Town be placed on the agenda. mittee structure," asked sentatives of the 8,900 people who team, that kind of screws things up Council over the committee sys- Without explanation, Radcliffe Goodman. live here - to make sure there's a for them (citizens)," Glenn said. tem it brought back to life last offered a motion to immediately "Because I don't want to create connection there." Clark again noted the work the winter. eliminate the human resource and problems," responded Radcliffe. In the case of the human HR committee is nearing comple- Meetings by both the finance finance committees "until we get "I want to eliminate problems." resources committee, Goodman tion on and asked that council and human resources committees further rules, regulations and Radcliffe continued that Utt has said that committee deals with agree to see that work through. have been held on a regular basis guidelines as to what we should be a life and needs to go home in the policy issues that the town council Penn and Councilman H.M. since at least last February. doing." evenings. is required to help address. Kidd said they had no problem However, two council members "Second," stated Penn quickly. "What we're doing is creating Committees, he said, shouldn't with Clark's idea. - Jamie Radcliffe and Lane Penn - Mayor Nick Glenn, who earlier chaos," Radcliffe stated, adding get "mired in the weeds," but are "I'm actually opposed to it," led the way Tuesday night on the had advocated for a return to a that at the end of the day "all this responsible for policies and stated Goodman. "Either we abol- committee system's demise on a committee system, asked for dis- council needs to do is pay the observing from "the 30,000 foot ish the committee system tonight 4-2 vote. cussion. bills, give a thumbs-up or a level." or not. The people here tonight Near the close of the public por- Councilman Joseph Goodman thumbs-down and quit arguing Goodman added that he had are not telling us what the problem about it." heard no complaints from the is, they're just telling us what the Radcliffe said the committees council members serving on com- solution is." have created more problems. mittees about meeting schedules "Seriously," Goodman said "I understood the concept of it or the time meetings take. emphatically. "Is this how we when it started, but to me - we He asked Radcliffe and Penn to operate? We bring a motion up hired these two people (Utt and reconsider their motions. and don't know what the problem Deputy Town Manager Nicole Councilman David Clark said is," he asked. Hair) to run this town, and I don't he isn't a fan of the committee sys- "I'll tell you what the problem is want any interference into it. tem and had never been. However, if you want to know," Radcliffe Until it comes down that they he expressed the desire to see sev- responded. "Going and talking to come to that podium and ask for eral things brought to council on your employees … that's your first our help, then that's when we step which the human resources com- problem. Creating havoc for this up. I agree with Mr. Penn, we mittee is nearing completion of town manager - keeping him after committee ourselves to death," their work. hours - that's the issue. Six of us Radcliffe said. At that point, Penn called for a were voted [onto council] by the "That's right," Penn agreed. vote. However, Mayor Nick citizens, not one." Goodman responded that, Glenn first offered his opinion. Radcliffe said he values the according to the town's charter, Glenn said he served on council opinion of everyone on council, "We do a bit more than pay the from 1984 to 1994, during which "but you committee yourself to bills." time council operated on a com- death, and that's what you've Goodman said it is council's job mittee system. "We had eight done." to come up with fiscal policy and committees," Glenn added. direction for the town. "We have "My concern is there seems to "I've made the motion, I'm be angst over something, and I ready for the vote," Radcliffe said. don't know what," Glenn stated. With that, Glenn called on "Do we throw the baby out with Clerk of Council Trish Cruise to the bath water or do we try to fig- poll the council members. Clark ure out what the problem is. If we and Goodman voted against end- do away with the committees ing the committee system, while that's fine, but I'd like to know Radcliffe, Vice Mayor Greg East, what the problem is," he said. Kidd and Penn voted for abolish- "I don't think the way to solve a ing the committees.

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