Rappahannock’s Board of Supervisors initiated practices in the past

Rappahannock’s Board of Supervisors initiated practices in the past few weeks of budget preparation that should help build renewed public confidence in local government.

For the first time, they met with the School Board in a special work session. They listened to school administrators and School Board members explain the pressing needs of the county’s educational program. They listened to explanations and justifications for the requested 12 percent increase in school expenditures.

The exercise has to have given the supervisors a better understanding of the school costs that account for 80 percent of the county’s tax dollars.

Then on Monday, the supervisors held their first evening public hearing on a proposed school budget. Night meetings on school expenditures have been sought in the past to no avail. Daytime public hearings have been sparsely attended. School supporters claim it’s been because most of those who promote quality education for Rappahannock County have jobs and can’t arrange to attend a 10 a.m. public hearing on Monday morning. Whatever the reason has been, on Monday night the courtroom was full. And everyone who spoke—with the exception of one supervisor—endorsed the School Board’s funding request for 1984-85 as submitted.

The exercise has to have given the supervisors a clearer understanding that their constitutents are willing to pay higher taxes if it means quality education.

After the hearing, every member . of the board stayed to talk with concerned citizens. Supervisors Charles Estes, J. R. Latham and Nelson Lane were there until the lights were turned out and the last person had left the empty courthouse.

The private conversations have to have given the supervisors greater insight into commitment of at least some county citizens to quality education.

And on the other side, the willingness of the supervisors to listen should convince people that they do care about the wishes of the voters— even with election time almost four years away.

It’s a good start. But the supervisors shouldn’t stop there with just a work session, a night meeting and 45 minutes spent talking to those who want to see Rappahannock’s educational programs upgraded. They should follow the unanimous recommendation of the audience at Monday’s hear* ing and approve the 1984-85 schoolX budget as it has been submitted— without any cuts. i

We need a new roof on the e/ ementary school. The $110,000 included for the long ongoing repair project should be viewed, not as an educational expense, but as af deferred maintenance bill that has finally come due. Anything less than completion of the roof repairs will imperil the health, safety and educatio