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On March 15, the planning
committee of Rappahannock County met to discuss the Lorin Maazel private school in Castleton. The school has approximately 40 students at one site on Mr. Maazel’s farm in Castleton.
Many local citizens were there to voice their disapproval that the. school would grow in size. The citizens’ desire was to preserve the rural character of their community and avoid a further increase in traffic. They emphasized that a compromise had already been reached by allowing a wealthy private landowner to open a school for 40 students in a farming community.
Mr. John McCarthy, County Administrator insisted that 75 students had already been established in 1997. He stated that any discussion of this number of students (75) would be a moot point, no matter how strenuously the citizens of Castleton might oppose a school this large.
Mr. Doug Baumgardner, Attorney for Mr. Maazel insisted, ad nauseam that an increase in number of students to 75 in the Castleton school site had already been approved. On behalf of Mr. Maazel, he requested a further increase to 115 students. Mr. McCarthy has now apologized for giving misinformation. Only 45 students are permitted.
This mistake was brought to his attention by a concerned citizen who used his own time to review documents. This citizen is not a professional politician or lawyer. It is very possible that this misinformation would have gone overlooked if not for his efforts.
The truth was not told, whether intentionally or unintentionally. This error directly influenced the planning committee meeting. If a physician would have made such an error then his/her licenses would be at risk and rightly so.
We live in a democracy where the majority rules. This is a principle on which our country is founded. It is a frightening prospect to live under the rule of a King in Castleton.
If Mr. Maazel can create a school which grows in size at his whim on his farmland even though his neighbors strongly disapprove, then it can happen on any farm in Rappahannock County.
Debbie M. Mack, M.D.
Castleton
In your March 22 story
about the Rappahannock Planning Commission hearings for expansion of the Hearthstone School, I am incorrectly quoted as saying, “kill the school.” I did not say that in any way, shape or form.
I did address the matter that the school should be situated elsewhere, on a highway that could accommodate the traffic it will generate and have access to law enforcement. There was nothing in my comments that anybody could construe that I wanted to, “kill the school.”
The argument that so many of us made were not against the school, they were against the school’s location where we are convinced that extreme traffic and environmental problems would be created if it were to be expanded. Many of us were also concerned that approval of the school at its present location and especially the intended growth of the school
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