Wood County BOE to hold two meetings next week

PARKERSBURG -- The Wood County Board of Education will hold two public meetings next week.

The meetings will be held at Wood County Schools central office at the corner of 13th and Plum streets in Parkersburg. The meetings are open to the public.

The board meet in special session at 6 p.m. Monday to discuss an energy efficiency plan and a pending lawsuit.

Superintendent Will Hosaflook said the board will receive a presentation from CMTA, an energy management company which several years ago conducted an energy audit of the district's schools and identified $75 million in deferred maintenance costs.

Hosaflook said CMTA will present a possible timeline of facility improvements to help lower energy costs and increase comfort at the district's schools. If approved, Hosaflook said work would begin this summer and run through the summer of 2021.

The board also will meet in executive session to meet with "legal counsel for discussion regarding litigation related to closure of Waverly Elementary."

Few details are available concerning the closed-door session because it concerns pending litigation. In December a lawsuit was filed in Kanawha County concerning a plan to close Waverly Elementary School and Williamstown Elementary School and merge them into the newly built Williamstown-Waverly Elementary in Williamstown. The suit seeks to block closure of Waverly as well as other damages.

On Tuesday, the board meets at 6 p.m. in regular session to receive an update on the Wood County Teachers Retirement Association, approve a memorandum of understanding with CMTA and to vote on the suspension and termination of an unnamed employee.

The retirement association presentation is a follow up on a vote by association members to allow membership to be refunded as they exit the group. The privately administered retirement fund has been losing new enrollment in recent years while the number of retirees increases. Officials estimate the fund will be depleted in about six years if not earlier.

Michael Erb can be reached at merb@newsandsentinel.com.