Letters to the Editor

Get YOUR Facts Straight!!!

The subject line article states that the board member roll call vote at the organizational meeting was 5-2 vote in favor of the second Tuesday at 1:30 p.m.  The attached article from “Written by Staff on January 4, 2018 at 12:22 p.m.” states the board member roll call voted at the organizational meeting was 4-3 in favor of the second Tuesday at 1:30 p.m. Which version of the story is the correct one?  How can citizens of Charlotte County make rational informed decisions about this local governmental topic if we don’t get the correct facts.  As Joe Friday would say, “Just the facts, ma’am.  Just the facts.”

In my opinion, everyone is sick and tired of people not being able to see both sides of this issue and come up with a compromise.  Attendance at either the afternoon or evening sessions of the Board of Supervisors (BOS) meetings shouldn’t even be considered.  Most ordinary citizens are too busy working trying to make a living to attend in the afternoon. Other county citizens that “can afford”, legitimately take time off from work, or even skip work, the afternoon is fine.  County administration and the BOS work for all of the citizens. Their convenience shouldn’t be a factor either.  BOTTOMLINE:  COMPROMISE!!!

Possible Solution:  Have a 7:00 p.m. BOS meeting once a quarter.  This will “satisfy the masses.”  Pun intended.  Maybe it could also cut down on the number of special called BOS meetings.  This solution allows for county administration and BOS to work special issues/concerns for two BOS meetings and then have those special issues/concerns more fully researched and presented at the evening meeting.

We have more important issues in the county than bickering over when to have our BOS meetings.

Kenneth Townsend

Drakes Branch 

Editor’s Note: Mr. Townsend is correct. I made a mistake. The correct information should have been “The board voted 5/2 in favor of holding board meetings on the second Tuesday of the month at 1:30 p.m.  Fore and Pierantoni voted against the motion. We appreciate having our error corrected. The Messenger welcomes all factual corrections, opinions and comments. Thank you for emailing.

An Address to the School Board
in Support of Dr. Leonard

MR. CHAIRMAN AND BOARD,

I am here tonight to speak to the action taken last month by this board to not renew the Superintendent’s contract.   First, I would like to thank the two members that voted not to agree to that motion as you are actually aware of the great job she is doing.

Obviously, five of you did not look at the power point presentation that was given during last month’s meeting showing that CCPS is one of the top systems in the region and has been for several years with some of the top scores in the state.

I also ask, did you look at her previous performance appraisals for the last four or five years, which I think you would do before you decided not to renew the contract. They were all in the excellent range.

As a board member for four years and once as Chairman, this superintendent did everything we asked her to do and more, and she did it right, with intelligence and integrity.   

The school system is the largest employer in the county.  It is vital that it be run in a professional manner and employees be treated professionally and with respect by the School Board.  The Code of Virginia and employment laws require this.

It is absolutely inappropriate that employees be publicly demeaned and their rights violated by school board members’ use of social media.  This is a liability to this county.

Their superintendent supports and encourages them and allows them to do their job.  You have stunned and demoralized the best group of educators in Virginia.

The leadership of this school system and the employees are to be commended, thanked and celebrated for the job they do and, as a husband of a retired teacher, a businessman, previous board member and a citizen, I tell the employees I am proud of you and you are a blessing to this county.

So what are the facts and reasons for your decision? Is it your personal agenda to vote against her because she lives two-tenths of a mile in another county?  Tell us why!

When does where you live have anything to do with the kind of job you are doing?

Our superintendent puts our children, the teachers, staff, and administration first in her heart; maybe this board needs to do that.

This action was careless, unjustified and, coming from an insurance background, if this continues to be the way you treat other employees, our county will be spending more money on defending law suits than using that money for the education of our children.

I am calling on all citizens to hold these five elected officials accountable.  Do not allow them to tear down our great school system with their personal agendas.

Thank you, Dr. Leonard, for what you do for Charlotte County!

Kenny Redman

Phenix, Va

In Support of Superintendent
Dr. Leonard

In the past year, Charlotte County’s public schools, under the guidance of Dr. Nancy Leonard, have:

Achieved standardized test scores equal to the best in the region

Had all the schools accredited

Maintained low turnover of professional positions

Avoided all missteps with finances and  integrity

Continued to enjoy the reputation of the best school system in south central Virginia

These are accolades even the most prosperous systems would consider exceptional. For a rural, economically struggling area, this is a particularly striking accomplishment. You would think the local School Board would go to great lengths to celebrate. But what does the Charlotte County School Board choose to do? On a 5 – 2 vote, they announce, six months before it was necessary, to notify Dr. Leonard they intend not to renew her contract!  The reason?  Not known.  No one on the affirmative has  bothered to offer a reason for such an illogical, “shoot yourself  in the foot”   move.

Whatever the reason for the vote of no confidence, it could not have been based on job performance. It is clear then the motive for the vote is petty, personal, probably vindictive, and certainly ego driven.

It appears the fox is in the hen house. The people to whom we entrusted our schools have already taken the first step in dismantling a really good school system, and we object!

Gerald and Sue Watts

Keysville, Va.