Elaine BlaisdellCumberland Times-News
OAKLAND — The Garrett County Board of Education is looking for new members to join the Advocacy Committee, which will include high and middle school students.
“What I would like to do is find out the interest for those people who were originally appointed to the advisories, those who would like to stay on to do some planning on behalf of the school system,” said Superintendent Janet Wilson.
Those wishing to be on the committee will be required to fill out a new application because the scope of the group has changed since the board halted a plan to close three elementary schools. The board was required to keep the schools open as one of the conditions of the county commissioners’ decision to give the board $2.2 million.
The Advocacy Committee has to have “a manageable number of members” with one from each school, according to Wilson. Board members will also be present at the Advocacy Committee meetings.
Paul Swanson of Facility Engineering Associates, who is the author of the facilities study, and Mike Gehr, of Bushey Feight Morin Architects Inc., met with the Advocacy Committee on Monday and answered 162 questions, about 90 of which pertained to the facilities study, according to William Swift, director of maintenance and operations with Garrett County Public Schools.
Board member Rodney Reckart discussed the renovation of Southern Middle School and said funding for it “has been nightmare” and that the state won’t pay for 20 percent of the construction costs. Reckart asked Gehr if it would be more cost effective to raze part of the building. Gehr said taking off square footage may not be in the best interest and indicated there were other options to explore.
In July, the commissioners voted to defer the $582,400 renovation for one year.
