County Attorney Bill McBlief said following today’s board meeting the mediation session will be held in closed session.
If there is no settlement during that session the mediator would have to decide if more sessions are needed or if the two sides battle in court.
The county last month said it can’t give Weldon City Schools $1.3 million to pay an architect to design a new high school so both boards will head to the mediation.
The county has set aside $25,000 in legal fees in case it has to go to court with the Weldon City Schools board of education over the matter.
Pattie Cotton, chair of the school board, said in a letter to board of commissioners Chairman James Pierce, the issue centers on the county’s decision to fund the school system with $832,856.
According to the June 24 letter obtained by rrspin.com, $727,625 is for current expense and $105,231 is for capital expense.
Cotton notes in the hand delivered letter the school system requested $3,037,448.14 — $1.3 million for current expense and the remainder for capital outlay. “The funds appropriated by the board of commissioners did not include the requested funds to hire an architect to design a new high school for the students in Weldon.”
In other matters today the board:
• Heard a request from Sally Surface of the Choanoke Area Development Association to deed the gym at Enfield Middle School to the association. The school has been converted to a $6 million elderly apartment complex and the association would like to convert the gym to a wellness center and give the Enfield congregate meals program a home.
• Recognized the retirement of Sonja Pepper from the county Department of Social Services. Pepper has worked for social services for 25 years and her retirement is at the end of this month.
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