Potter Announces Intent To Run for Sheriff's Post

  Grundy police officer Tim Potter has announced his intent to run for Buchanan County sheriff.
  Potter is seeking the Democrat nomination for the post.
  Having worked for the Grundy Police Department since 1994, Potter has served in several roles for the town, including personnel director, assistant town manager and his present duties as a Grundy patrolman. Previously, Potter served in the United States Navy, receiving extensive experience in the field of electronics. An honorably-discharged veteran, Potter served in operations Desert Storm and Southern Watch.
  His education includes a bachelor's degree in Organizational Management from Bluefield College, as well as an associate's degree from Southwest Virginia Community College in 1987. He became a certified police officer in 1994.
  Among other activities, Potter is a member of the Sandy Valley Masonic Lodge #17, VFW Post #164 and currently serves as president of the Riverview Elementary/Middle School PTA. He also enjoys whitewater rafting, golf and coaching T-ball for the Vansant Reds. Last summer, he accompanied local Boy Scouts on their trip across the nation.
  Potter and his wife, Tammy, live on Big Rock. They have three daughters, Megan, Alyssa and Emily. The family attends Vansant Baptist Church.
  He is the son of Hersel "Yogi" and Sylvia Potter, of Grundy.

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School Board Updated on Responsibilities, Duties
Virginia Code Maintains Board 'Has Multitude of Discretionary Powers'

by Cathy St. Clair
News Editor  
  The powers and duties of the Buchanan County School Board are outlined in a letter to members of the school board from School Board Attorney Tom Scott.
  The letter was included as a part of the December meeting informational materials in the agenda packet.
  In the letter dated December 11, 2006, Scott advised board members about their duties and responsibilities in response to a request by North Grundy School Board Member Don Newberry to do so.
  The bottom line, he said is that “the school board essentially has the right to do whatever it wants to do which is not prohibited by statute or case law.”
  “It is the ultimate authority at the local level,” he added.
  Scott cited a section of the Virginia code which outlines the duties of the school board  related to seeing that school laws are enforced, and providing for the operation of schools and said the use of the word “shall” makes it clear those duties are mandated and not discretionary.
  In addition to the duties listed in the code, however, Scott noted the board also “has a multitude of discretionary powers.”
  He used two examples, including when the current board departed from a policy manual last year, overturning a unanimous disciplinary committee decision to expel a Grundy High student accused of bringing a firearm on school property, a decision by the board he said “was perfectly legal.”
  The second example, he used was a recent decision by the board to ban Earl Cole from school property except under limited circumstances. He noted that while the matter could have been handled by administration, as could the first example, the action the board took was “perfectly legal from a powers and duties standpoint.”
  He also used as an example a case from several years ago when he served as school board attorney and when the school board overturned a decision made by a grievance panel not to terminate a coach-teacher, although it had been recommended by the superintendent at that time that the action be taken. The board overturned the panel decision and fired the teacher.
  “Once again, the option of the board in that instance was perfectly legal,” Scott wrote.
  “The school board has broad discretion in resolving school issues, even those which could otherwise be made by faculty members, the administration or a grievance panel,” Scott noted. “Whether the board exercises its discretion to involve itself in those matters which might be better left to the school system or the administration is not a legal decision and, thus, not one that I should comment upon.
  “Many times the board is called upon to make or involve itself in what others might call political decisions,” he continued. “Moreover, there is more often than not a fine line between exactly what involves a policy decision and to what extent, if any, the board should involve itself in micro-managing the school system.
  “Those are discretionary decisions and not prohibitory ones,” he wrote. “I will leave the answer to that question up to your good judgment.”

Supervisors Okay Contributions Totaling $4,351 For Schools, Seniors

by Cathy St. Clair
News Editor  
  Contributions totaling $4,531.23 were approved last month by the Buchanan County Board of Supervisors.
  Among the contributions approved, who requested them, what they were for and how much was expended were as follows. Some were listed in the late bills.
  Expenditures approved were as follows:
  •  $434.84: money reimbursed to Hurricane Supervisor William P. Harris at his request for the purchase of 14 mens zip jackets for the Rowe Senior Citizens at a total cost of $144.54; and the purchase of 21 zip jackets for the Council Senior Citizens at a total cost of $290.30.
  •  $543.51: Twin Valley High School, for a banner, requested by Varsity Boys Basketball Coach Brian Moore and okayed at one-quarter each by Garden Supervisor Buddy Fuller; Prater Supervisor Eddie Lindsay; South Grundy Chairman Roger Rife; and Harris.
  •  $500: Council High School, for the Model General Assembly trip to Richmond March 7 to visit the state capitol. A total of $4,000 was requested by Jessica Jackson, CHS MGA Advisor. The $500 was okayed by Harris.
  •  $500: Council Elementary School, for Council Cobra tee-shirts for students. A total of $2,000 was requested by Principal Ransome Breeding. A total of $500 was okayed by Lindsay.
  •  $1,676: Hurley Middle School, for a new ice machine to replace the one in the cafeteria which is no longer working, requested by Principal Tim Prater and okayed by Knox Supervisor Pat Justus.