Published: May 09, 2008 10:12 pm         

Board official clarifies Fort Ashby safety issue

This letter is being written to correct information that was published in the Times-News on Wednesday, May 7, regarding a safety issue at Fort Ashby Primary School.

Yes, Mr. William Pratt, principal at Fort Ashby Primary, had an engineer come and look at the issue. The engineer was Larry Dietz from District 5 Headquarters of the State Roads. He observed the traffic for a day and came back with eight different recommendations.

Mr. Pratt and Sam Kalbaugh, superintendent of Mineral County Schools in 2000, came up with a solution. All traffic enters one way and exits the other way. Bus schedules were also altered so that they don’t come all at one time.

Yes, folks, that was an issue back in April of 2000. It was resolved by June 13, 2000. The local School Improvement Council has not discussed this issue for the past six years. It would not cost the board the prices of one “school retreat.” It was resolved eight years ago.

If you need this to be verified you can call Pat Mason, assistant superintendent of schools, at (304) 788-4200.

Terry LaRue

vice president,

Mineral County Board of Education