THURSDAY, APRIL 26,2007

THURSDAY, APRIL 26,2007

Our View

See you

Monday

This year’s proposed school budget is causing quite

a flap. Superintendent of Schools Dr. Robert

Chappell has been firing back community criticism in as calm a manner as he can muster inviting individuals and groups to meet with him, answering questions in his new RappFacts4U and trying to calm the storm.

He has no choice but to be an advocate for his proposed budget requesting an additional $548,910. This includes a 4.5 percent pay raise for all employees of the school system.

More money? .

Chappell has stated that iast year’s request for additional funds was actually higher as the Rappahannock County School Board requested a $676,870 increase.

For a myriad of reasons, this year’s proposed request has hit a lot of people wrong and they’re not nodding their heads and looking the other way.

Chappell has just announced that he will seek an efficiency report on the Rappahannock County School system. These reports compiled through the Virginia School Efficiency Review Program are part of the Virginia Department of Planning and Budget.

It wouldn’t be a surprise if Headwaters, the county’s educational foundation, helped defray some of the costs for this review. It’s in their best interests that Chappell’s budget eventually meet with the county’s approval as part of their funding comes from the school’s coffers.

While Chappell is to be applauded for sanctioning such scrutiny, it won’t come in time for this year’s budget process. But, it is a coming attraction and for several surrounding counties - Culpeper one of them - these reviews have made a difference.

They aren’t meant to cast blame but to offer constructive suggestions that can often lead to money saving measures.

It's a good move.

Being in a leadership position is no piece of cake. Most of the people in Rappahannock County who choose to seat in the hot seat do so because they are committed to what they’re doing and feel that their influence can make some difference.

Dr. Chappell is open to any suggestions and new ideas. While he sits in his chair, he shouldn’t have to make weighty decisions without weighing lots of input.

And that comes to Monday evening and the public hearing.

The Rappahannock County Board of Supervisors will host a public hearing on the proposed school budget on Monday, April 30, at the RCHS auditorium.

And don’t be miffed if you ask questions and don’t get an immediate answer that night. Go to any public hearing in any county and the response will be the same. Public hearings are meant to give your elected leaders the chance to hear what you have to say. They don’t have to engage in a conversation with you at that time. Otherwise, you’d need to bring sleeping bags.

It doesn’t mean they won’t get back to you. It’s part of a formal process.

The hearing begins at 7:00 p.m.

See you Monday.