Bent Mountain School (above) and Ed Elswick (below).^
My pal Eldon Karr of Appalachian Architects, who lives on Bent Mountain and is active in the community, sent me the following e-mail he just received from Roanoke County Board of Supervisors member Ed Elswick:"The school board is going to lease the [Bent Mountain Elementary] school facility and is preparing to do so. I assume the community will be allowed to bid. Yesterday, I was shown a draft of an RFP [request for proposal], which is being prepared for leasing of the school facility. Some of the requirements favor an established non-profit but we should be able to address our ability to manage the facility. When the final RFP is prepared, I will get a copy for the group to review and prepare a proposal. It is good that you have enough volunteers to establish the community’s interest in being the lessee."
My guess is that the county is opening a can of worms here that could lead to a neighborhood revolt. People love their community schools and leasing or selling this lovely old building to an outsider--if that's what happens--would not be a politically popular move.
My guess here is the school board is driving this RFB in an attempt to retain the income for the school board/system. The Bent Mt.Civic community needs to retain an interest in this facility regardless of the tenant - re: the management and upkeep of this property for the benefit of Bent Mt. residents and their children.
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