I’ve had a very busy work week and have fallen behind on my civic duties. The inept School Board and school administration continue to push for this horrible Wheatland Farm deal even though the public and supervisors are dead set against it. The Wheatland Alliance did a great point by point rebuttal of the bogus LCPS “”fact” sheet”, which points out some more lies and decption by our “public servants”, provided at LTM by Liz Coe. The more that comes out about this deal, the more it smells. It’s simply amazing to me that with all the current problems with school boundaries and capacity issues in Ashburn, Dulles, and Leesburg that they would waste all of this effort on an overpriced deal for land incompatible with the comprehensive plan for schools that aren’t needed for years. Someone (or several someones) with power must have an awful lot riding on this.
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May 13th by Loudoun Insider
Why do citizens have to work so so hard to find out the truth? Since when should a bunch of neighbors and farmers have to learn how to read legal contracts and hydro studies to keep historic buildings from being demolished or groundwater from being polluted? it’s one thing to fight a faceless corporation, but it’s sadder to be our own county government we have to defend against.
After all is said and done Dr. Hatrick is in charge. If he wants you to have the information, he will let you have it, until then, please sit down and be quiet.
Indeed he will. And it will likely be an erroneous report, slung together by the staff under the direction of the ever-arrogant Dr. Adamo, who is educated beyond his intelligence. Ever go back and see how accurate Dr. Adamo’s 2003 projections were? NOT VERY! We could use a dartboard for planning and end up with the same result.
That we all have to dig, fight, and dig some more to first get the information, and then take on these guys is an insult. And then to have to read published notes from Adamo in the local press that are completely dismissive of citizen concerns and input is insulting. This group needs big change.
This School Board is so incredibly entrenched on Wheatland. Godfrey proving how desperate they are to hold on by her latest suggestion of reducing the number of schools from 3 to 2 or even 1. She seems to forget the ENTIRE premise behind this site is co-location. So… if they shift to only one school, their whole rationale for one site/size fits all totally evaporates. Stevens showing his colors with his latest sophomoric Twitter note about a mascot for a school near the Town’s WWTP. He seems to forget the Wheatland site will necessarily include its VERY OWN LCPS sewer plant with a pipeline network under the highway to connect all three schools to it. Tom Reed is happy for Wheatland to emulate Ashburn. Tom Marshall doesn’t understand the motivation behind Wheatland opposition. If he just listened he would know. He invited emails on that topic – his address is: Tom.Marshall@loudoun.k12.va.us
But it is Bergel who continues to be the most ardent defender of this deal and appears far more deferential to LCPS staff than her own constituents. She stands to lose ALL support of at least this one passionately supportive constituent if she continues to blindly defer to LCPS staff who seem incapable of breaking away and coming clean on their long fought pathological misinformation campaign.
Loudoun Times takes note of the crumbling support for this site…
http://www.loudountimes.com/news/2009/may/13/wheatland-site-faces-mounting-opposition/
I have yet to meet a soul in Western Loudoun who supports this site
If nothing else, the school board has managed to unite residents from all across the political spectrum.
I think the only people who are in favor of this project “have a dog in this race”. Regular citizens are all against it, from my experience.
The School Board is going down. Hard.
This just in, word is Sarah Howard O’Brien is telling folks the study period has just been extended until October. Looks like they are buying time to weave more garbage into their flimsey justification, all the while they are undermining all options beginning to surface – you watch – that is their MO. They’ll never give up this easy. It’s their buddy Sal after all.
Boy you got that right, ANYTHING for ‘ol Sal!
I am counting on the SB to STEP UP and rescind this contract right now… all 3 schools… this site isn’t right per the Revised Comprehensive Plan… PERIOD. There are better sites out there… if i know that as a “common folk” why can’t the SB figure it out? I know the BOS “gets it”… oh, but we wouldn’t want to disappoint the seller… REALLY?????
I’m sure they’re worried about getting sued by the seller, since they gave him such a good deal that he’ll never get anywhere else.
John Stevens has a BS post up at his blog about the pitfalls of “negotiating in public”. Well, the problem is that LCPS overpays so much that they’ve skewed their own market prices. Everyone knows they overpay so people ask for the moon – and the School Board delivers! Rouse, Lenah, now this. One bad over-priced deal after another.
Hey – this is entirely off topic, but needs to be expressed, nonetheless to my compadres, LI and Hillsboro: What happened to the Washington Capitals???? LI????? Hillsboro????
Time for a cold I.C. Light, ladies…..
It seems that the Lovettsville pols, including Bergen, want schools for Lovettsville, as long as they aren’t in the town, or next to it, or anywhere near it. HUH?
I also question why there needs to be THREE high schools in Purcellville. They have Loudoun Valley in the town, and Woodgrove opens in September, 2010. Now they want to build another high school in Wheatland. Does western Loudoun really need three high schools? And do they all need to be in Purcellville? I would love to know where they think students will be coming from to fill a third high school.
Building an elementary school in Wheatland so they can have all day kindergarten, IF they choose to in the future, is simply laughable.
When people move to Lovettsville they know that it’s rural and that their children will have to ride a bus to Purcellville for high school. Big deal. It’s a price we pay to live out here. ONE traffic light isn’t the end of the world for the students. They can take it. Building schools we don’t need, to shorten their ride by a few miles, is just silly, and very wasteful of our money.
The Wheatland deal is sounding more and more like they just want to do something nice for their friend Sal. Couldn’t they just get him a nice gift on his next birthday? Take him out for a nice dinner? Why do we have to pay for their gifts for their friends?
I am finding it rather disgusting that our elected officials aren’t better stewards of our money. Why do they continue to over pay for land? Because it’s not their money so they don’t care? Or do they have some other excuse?
From: Jennifer Bergel Thursday – May 14, 2009 8:27 AM
To: Jennifer Bergel – Catoctin District
Subject: Comments Addressing Wheatland – Price and Location
Good Morning,
I will be sending comments over the next couple days to address what I said at the board meeting on Tuesday (and adding other notes). This meeting was the first time since recent events that I had to address Wheatland in public, but due to the length of my comments, I am dividing them into several emails.
I will also address Mr. Burton’s email that he has sent to those of you who support of the site. I am sorry that you were given a form letter response to such an important issue.
______
Why Wheatland?
Price. Location. Three-School Campus/Size. Water. Buildings.
PRICE
When a headline blazes “Panel Narrows Western High School Options” and the two sites in the article that are mentioned are Miller and Wheatland Farm, is there any question as to whom has the advantage? And these two were whittled down from a list that was considered by the Western Schools Task Force – a list focused on MS-10 and HS-10 future school sites.
Leesburg Today headline December 20, 2007
“Panel Narrows Western High School Options”
Within a few weeks of this headline, it was clear to the public that the Miller farm was NOT for sale – the family asked for it to be removed from consideration. The letter was sent to LCPS staff, and the family has since followed up with email confirmations that the farm is not for sale.
Within the first few weeks of 2008, it was clear to me as the newly elected school board member where “we” might be heading for a possible land acquisition for HS-10 and other needed-schools. Nonetheless, Mr. Burton, Ms. Kurtz, Mayor Walker, Ms. Godfrey, and I met with LCPS staff to discuss our options for school sites.
The voters had approved land banking an HS-10 site – the priority was to find one.
People other than planning staffs spoke to one of the landowners.
An RFP was advertised for schools needed North of Rt. 9 – it was done at the request of elected officials based upon a constituent request.
My Observations: Though the price is a concern addressed by many, I saw it as justified because it allows land banking for future schools needed by a geographic region. Furthermore, it is on the major transportation artery for the region. Purchasing now as opposed to later should save money – land is of limited availability. The voters have APPROVED the acquisition of land for these future schools. I understand the price is high to many – but I am not sure if the price would ever be “right” for schools in this location. And I am very concerned about how much the “price” will be if this acquisition falls apart.
I am aware that people are suggesting other prices are better on land. For example, the $1.2 million property that is in Morrisonville but has a Lovettsville address. I wrote an email to a person using it as a basis for comparison asking the following questions, among many: Have you spoken to the 50-plus landowners on Morrisonville Road that would be impacted with ROW acquisition? Some of them would lose their homes. Plus, the village is historic. Furthermore – have you spoken to the landowners that would be impacted by a road being developed through their properties?
In response to the $3.4 million property on Purcellville Road – access is problematic. It is in the geographic area, though, and it too is slated for development, but I do not think it is fiscally responsible to go to that site. However, it is for sale for a lesser price.
LOCATION
Along the major transportation artery; school traffic would be removed from the road sooner than later; appearance of little to no right of way acquisition needed. Priceless.
Community concerns – increased traffic along the major road – Rt. 287. Will there be a light before the light at Rt. 9? What will the impact be?
My observations:
1. VERY few middle and high school buses touch Lovettsville proper. As one travels South on 287, a number of roads “spill out” – thus the buses get on the road and move toward Purcellville. This will not change with the opening of Woodgrove. Five buses that go into Lovettsville come from the Lovettsville Road area. About 14 others hit 287. The middle and high school bus traffic is already on 287 and will continue to be.
2. How many remember that there has not always been a light at Rt. 9 and Rt. 287? Less than 20 years ago the light was NOT there. The traffic back ups at this location are of a historic nature. I do not believe by-right development will help the traffic. By-right development does not necessarily force road improvements. I have witnessed this fact near my home and near the homes of many in this part of Loudoun.
____________
Comments Addressing Mr. Burton’s email:
Jim Burton has sent an email that includes the following information:
“During a meeting in which I participated last week, we discussed three sites closer to the Town and determined that school planning staff had already directed their engineers to investigate the two closest to Town. While I do not know the [sic] what the price of these alternatives might be, they would certainly be in far greater compliance with the County’s Comprehensive Plan.”
Because constituents whose emails in support of the site have received responses with these words, it is imperative that I set the record straight.
1. After the community input meeting in Lovettsville on April 29, I spoke to staff about whether or not the “Engel/Schoene” potential site would be possible for the hypothetical price of $13 million. This possible alternative was mentioned in this meeting, and I asked staff to look at it because it linked a parcel in the town to a parcel out of the town. I had immediate reservations about the price; immediate reservations about the viability; immediate concerns about the impact on a town that currently has very few middle/high school buses driving through it. I also had concerns about the bank and a historical home; but I asked them to look into the site to get a snapshot of its possibilities. Mr. Engle has not mentioned an intention to sell; Schoene is advertised by the developer as for sale. I should have information to share on this concept – but again, it is only being looked into because of public interest in this option.
2. Before the community meeting took place, I was approached by an individual about a possible assemblage in the Lovettsville area. This person asked me to keep things private in order to “protect the landowners”. I asked this person to whom else he was speaking so that I could cross reference the parties. Furthermore, I informed him we are under contract and that I am no longer able to speak to land deals. I directed him to staff, mentioned the community meeting, and upon my arrival staff indicated a meeting time and date had been set with this person. Last Thursday I found out that this person had spoken to Mr. Burton about this assemblage. I was quite surprised to hear this testament from Mr. Burton because the potential “broker” had acknowledged a concern for those local residents involved yet he went to an elected official that did not represent him. Furthermore, I began to wonder to how many had this person spoken.
I assured Mr. Burton that indeed staff had already started to look at this assemblage, but even if it were to come together, it still did not comply with the Comprehensive Plan. And, there was a need for serious road improvements, among other things, IF it were a viable site. I stated that I was alarmed that someone was shopping a “potential” assemblage. As of yesterday (5/13), Mr. Burton is the only one who has seen the contracts – LCPS staff continues to ask for them to determine the validity of this “possible” site.
3. The other site Mr. Burton mentioned, and I challenged, is the Wheeler Farm on Irish Corner Road. I mentioned to him the number of historic structures on the site, the fact that a dirt road (Dutchman’s Creek Rd.) runs through the two properties, the flooding of the creek along the road and by the water treatment plant, and that again, the Comprehensive Plan is not in place with this site. Yet, this site is one that he mentioned may be viable.
__________
I continue to listen to the other side of the arguments – I am concerned that residents of the area who are being impacted by the desires of those who do not live in the area. The Comprehensive Plan has much to say about the towns and villages, as well as public facilities.
I have asked for the contract to be amended if possible. I am hopeful that water tests can go through the summer and the home can be moved. I am not sure the price can be lowered – I have too much evidence of public awareness of this potential site to suggest the price may not come down. I also think that “price” is defined on many levels other that the dollars used to purchase a site.
I have asked for a stance on condemnation from the Wheatland Alliance through two of its members as recently as Tuesday night. I will ask for one in writing later today.
Stay tuned.
Jennifer
Jennifer K. Bergel
LCPS School Board
Catoctin District
Jennifer.Bergel@loudoun.k12.va.us
571-223-9724
Please be aware that correspondence sent by or to School Board members is subject to Virginia’s Freedom of Information Act.
Ms. Bergel says they are trying “if possible” to get the contract amended to at least allow for water tests to b be completed.
She needs to get the contract amended to allow ALL testing and necessary studies (traffic?) to be completed, and to have all zoning approvals (the special exception and commission permit) in hand.
If these contingencies and extensions can’t be negotiated, then the contract needs to be cancelled, since it is too speculative, ultra vires, and a really bad deal.
John Stevens has part of Bergel’s letter up on his “Our Loudoun Schools” blog along with some “interesting” comments of his own…”On the difficult issue of the Wheatland property, where most School Board members have been silent since raising their hands in favor of the contract (after concurrence from the majority of the Board of Supervisors)…”
Is he referring to himself?
http://blog.loudounschools.org/2009/05/bergel-on-wheatland-intro.html
Something else I just thought of: EGGI is doing the pump test this week that is supposed to show the stress on well owners adjacent to the school use.
EGGI did the original hydro-geo testing for the prelim plat approval, working for the landowner, and now EGGI is working for the School Board? under its contract to purchase this land, for feasibility purposes?
EGGI is the entity that said that only 17,000 gallons a day would be required, when the State says 70,000 plus. So, EGGI, working for the landowner first, and the School Board second, has lowered the estimate that members of the School Board are now citing? Does not meet the State threshold numbers, so just get a private contractor/expert to give an opinion of a lower number of gallons required? by saying the “real” usage would be less? Who do we believe–the State or the private expert who first worked for the landowner, and now works for the school board?
Everywhere you look there are conflicts and what looks like public deception and manipulation. The pump test over such a short amount of time, in a very wet season, performed once, assuming a 17,000 gallon a day usage is not really a “stress” test, and pretty meaningless as to any impact the proposed school uses would have on the aquifer over time through wet seasons and drought.
That response LI linked to in the LTM is very, very good.
Given that kind of opposition, I can’t imagine this thing will go through.
forget the apparent discrepancy between what volume of water the lcps says they will use and that which the state says should be used for planning purposes. they did this same bait and switch at fields farm. all that is required is a waiver by the county health department to use the lower figure (which lcps bases on actual use at other high schools), guess what the disposition of the waiver request was (with burton’s blessing) for hs-3?
Bergel is going down with the ship. She absolutely cannot justify this price or location, no matter how hard she tries. And why does she care about the price – the voters approved the money, right? Who cares if we grossly overpayu for it as long as the taxpayers voted for their referendum. All the more reason to vote down every school bond issue on the ballot until we get an entriely new School Board.
Bergel says Wheatland and Miller were, “whittled down from a list that was considered by the Western Schools Task Force – a list focused on MS-10 and HS-10 future school sites.” What? I was at several task force meetings and know their final report. I think it is hypocritical for her to act like she is abiding by some ficticious Task Force agreement on Wheatland and Miller meanwhile her decision to site at Wheatland totally disregards so many of the recommendations the Task Force made.
She goes on to say, “An RFP was advertised for schools needed North of Rt. 9 – it was done at the request of elected officials based upon a constituent request. ” The Task Force recommended RFPs, among many other policy changes the SB continues to ignore. However Bergel fails to mention responses to that RFP closed after 2 weeks. She won’t talk about that aspect, other than a flippant defense of the 2 weeks with, ‘[we knew no new sites would come forward]‘. Jen – can you please explain to the class why you think 2 weeks is a fair RFP response window? Are you a trained government contracting officer? If you were, you would know a 2 week RFP is bogus. Can you please explain to the class why Crim was somehow excluded from the Supervisors’ briefing packet?
and she says, [schools at Wheatland have the] “appearance of little to no right of way acquisition needed. Priceless.” Hey Jen, what about that homecoming parade you used to say shouldn’t be on Route 9, so why is Berlin Turnpike OK now? Why didn’t you at least get YOUR staff to talk w/ VDOT before they pushed this contract?
and what about, “How many remember that there has not always been a light at Rt. 9 and Rt. 287? Less than 20 years ago the light was NOT there. The traffic back ups at this location are of a historic nature.” What in heavens name does a the lack of a light at Route 9/287 20 years ago have to do with today? And is she saying since traffic has backed up there for years, worsening it with this proposal matters not? How can she possibly assert a 4000 student eduplex will create less traffic than the 33-35 more houses that could go on that 170-acres?
She appears lost to the dark side my friends – she is now working the frontline for Drs H&A to accelerate the upzoning of western Loudoun for their friends. Its the only explanation.
This last message coming from Bergel looks pathetically desperate. My longtime unshakable support of her is beginning to quickly evaporate. I doubt she even cares.
Probably not a new thought, but:
What if they went back to the Millers, and offered some kind of deal where they would either buy and lease the property back to let the Millers live there, or not buy but have a lease with a first right of refusal at some minimum guaranteed price.
It may be one reason the Millers do not want to sell is for estate tax purposes, stepped up basis, or reasons related to taxes and heirs. They may want to live out their lives there. Or they may want to try to stay there as long as they can. They can work around these issues with good legal advice.
Could they live in the house for life or for a set term, for free, even if the school board took possession of the property or one or more schools were built?
The Millers should talk to an estate attorney about this, to maximize the value to them and their heirs, and to stay in the house and even farm the property, as long as possible, if that is something that could work… it would be to their benefit, it seems.
New article in Leesburg Today:
http://www.leesburg2day.com/articles/2009/05/15/schools/9792wheatlad051409.txt
Sally,
The Millers are absentee owners; they live in Maryland.
While I’m sure he has the sense to defer to a good attorney specializing in estates, Mr. Miller does have pretty good legal representation — he was Richard Nixon’s criminal defense lawyer.
oops! thanks, Hillsboro!
We defeated Grubb, and the School Board not only didn’t learn, but came back with an even bigger and more arrogant proposal. We will kill this one too, not because of NIMBY, but because it doesn’t FIT in all the ways that are obvious to responsible thinking citizens and politicians. As heads of our educational system, you would think that LCPS and the School Board could learn a lesson, especially you PHDs. Sorry, Sal – bullies can be outsmarted. Thanks, Bergel – you won’t get a second term…
Voters had reason to believe that the School Board they elected would honor representative government by listening, thinking, and responding to new ideas about school size and community locations, or new facts about reduced growth projections. It clearly showed its inability to recognize the full range of competing interests affecting school siting and acquisition procedures: communities, farms, water, traffic. And its blindness to reasonable price remains shocking.
Instead, the SB has become a special interest, and my representative has sadly failed us in surprising ways. The bottom line: the SB isn’t capable of managing an acceptable siting and acquisition process.
Now we need a clear, publicly voted finding and direction by the Board of Supervisors to the effect that they won’t approve a special exception for the school buildings, meaning that the contract must fail. And in the future, the BOS must control school siting and acquisition.
It is because of blogs like this why this will never happen.
The real shame is the people behind this will not give up and admit they made a mistake. So it will cost taxpayers big bucks from this stupidity.
Ben Dover what happen???? I really thought the capitals would be the new next dream team.
Again # 30 is me Leej
To see all the evidence of LCPS’ past and current sabotage that effectively may keep a future high school far from the Town “that begins with Love” is extremely difficult to witness. What is wrong with our political system?
I do believe in Bergel. I’m sure she is doing what she thinks is best and she is responsive. However, she is defending LCPS’ aged old developer aligned agenda which is a serious mistake. I remain hopeful because while I believe her defense of it is a mistake, I think that there is time to turn it around and be forgotten if she shifts back into a citizen (instead of LCPS’) advocate role. There is no doubt in my mind she has the leadership qualities to, right now, really bring BOS, citizens and LCPS together to work this issue out. It definitely won’t be easy, but it is the right thing to do.
So now Cangiano is willing to drop his price to his cost (from $62k/acre) to $47.5k/acre and willing to extend the contract. He doesn’t say how long that extension is for however. If there were no viable alternatives closer to town I doubt he’d have lowered his price.
RE: #33
Wheatland its still the wrong place for a 4000 student “eduplex”, or even a 1600-1800 student high school, imo…
I think you agree with this, Sarah I’m just pointing put that for me it’s not *just about the price.
The extension needs to contain a contingency for SE and commission permit approval, or it is ultra vires, and should be challenged in court by those neighbors directly impacted… no way the contract will stand up in our Circuit Court. The Bos needs to do something to stop this in its tracks.
Or, here we go, more years of school litigation over knee jerk purchases without consideration to our Plan or impacts to surrounding property. Inevitably Judge Horne will be assigned to the case, as he has heard all the land use and school disputes for many years now.
His record is pretty clear, and he will not like what they have done here…totally ignoring the Plan, and after the precedents of Grubb and Lenah. Schools are too much of an impact 1500 feet away but not here, with a larger facility planned? Schools are too much of an impact in the transition zone, but allowed in the rural policy area?
As to the new price, the word “bail out” comes to mind. That is not what land is selling for in western Loudoun, even land with preliminary site plan approval.
I am sure he is a nice guy, but I am nice too! Where’s my bail out????
http://tinypic.com/view.php?pic=fdrfjl&s=5 (Letter from Sal Cangiano to Sam Adamo)
My first thought: He really, REALLY wants to unload this property…
My second thought: I don’t for one minute believe that Mr. Cangiano is the least bit concerned about the health, welfare, safety and education of my children.
I’m too beat to get into this now, but this price drop is COMPLETE BULLSHIT!
This just shows you how corrupt and/or clueless School Board is.
So they were duped ito paying WAY too much, now they’re going to pay still too much and act like they got a good deal???? This just shows how utterly contemptible that first price was. This just fires me up even more to get these bastards. They’re all going down (except Ohneiser), the SB opposition PAC is underway this weekend. I guess they’ll have to rely on developer money for their own campaigns. Screw ‘em.
I agree, doing these two things: lower price and longer study period just because of public outcry is still beside the point!! Three schools don’t belong in wheatland, end of story.
I still get the word on the street being they (SB) don’t have the money to buy it even at the New Low Price of 8.something million.
The bullshit level is beyond anything i’ve ever seen.
LI, you nailed it – the School Board is sooooooo inept. Only Joe Guzman and Bob Ohneiser have any sense at all. The rest are just there to keep the teachers union happy. They should be renamed the LEA Board.
I would disagree that someone has an awful lot riding on this. I think it all comes down to School Board laziness. With a willing seller, they conveniently forget about all the other criteria they should be considering, such as price and location. A willing seller makes it quick work, but location is everything. There will be a school there for the next hundred years, so they really need to get it right. Wheatland is a horrible location and this deal should be rejected on those grounds alone.
This is hilarious! The seller, out of the goodness of his heart, and his deep, deep, concern for the safety of our children, is willing to lower the price, AND, extend the contract. What more could anyone ask of this magnanimous, saint like, seller? Thank heavens we have a man like Sal Cangiano in charge of the school system land purchases in Loudoun county, rather than, I dunno, someone who represents the taxpayers.
WAIT A MINUTE! Weren’t you all griping about the price earlier???? Abd timing of water testing??? Who cares how it got done…it’s done! This is sooooo Obama politics.., “OH Wait! We said we wanted THIS, but we really want THIS…”
YOU HAVE GOT TO BE KIDDING ME! NOW we are going to crucify Sal and the school board for “HOw they got to the price we wanted”…OY! WHO CARES! The two major concerns were $ and water. He addressed both…get over it!
Preschool Mommy – you are missing the main issue – Lovettsville wants and deserves a school. My children graduated from Valley and I was hoping my granddaughters would have a similar opportunity – but better – in Lovettsville. This Wheatland site guarantees these children will keep hanging out in Purcellville because it is closer. Shops and eateries in Lovettsville will keep failing in part because most folks, including these children, leave the Town to do most everything. A Town school would be the anchor to keep these precious children close and safe in a loving environment. Bergel won overwhelming support in her hometown because she represented our best hope for a Town high school. Her opposition was satisfied with schools in Wheatland at Grubb but she said that wasn’t right. She talked about a Lovettsville high school so much for years and pledged to bring one to us. She is failing to make good on her campaign promises. She’s just not the same person. Not only is she not even trying to bring the school to Lovettsville – she’s doing her damnest to keep it as far away as possible. For her to be pushing this Wheatland site just tells me her promises were empty and she can’t be trusted.
I don’t get. She wants schools for Lovettsville as long as long they aren’t anywhere near Lovettsville.
RE: #41
It isn’t JUST about the price (see #34), but if you want to talk price, who said 47k/acre was the price we “wanted”?? That is the price that was paid for the property two years ago…oh how I wish MY property would sell today for what it was appraised for two years ago!!!
The comps for the Cangiano property are appx 17k an acre vs the “deal” of 47k/acre now being offered out of the goodness of the seller’s heart…@@
Pssst…the bubble has burst (in case you hadn’t heard).
Preschool, you must have that level of education. There is an awful lot wrong with this site and this deal, price and contract terms just being two of them. And now that those two have been miraculously altered, it just calls more attention to how bad they were in the first place. It makes this look like even more of an insider deal if that was even possible. But with this inept School Board and school administration, ineptness is the SOP for land purchases. Much more coming on this later.
If the SB had any sense, they would see they should cancel this contract and go slow. Wait a while to see what shakes out. This property is not going anywhere at this price.
Whatever contract they offer to anyone, it needs to be contingent on the SE and commission permit approval, and then the BoS needs to expedite the process. There is no reason this has to take 18 months–they should be able to do it in 6-8 months if they have already done all testing/studies and informally circulated the results.
Under their current contract, the SB can cancel for any reason until June 1, and get the return of their deposit.
The BoS should force them to do this, and not agree to any amendments or extensions. Especially if the amendment or extension takes away the blanket authority to cancel for any reason.
Also, the water testing they are doing, over a three day period last week, is bull. The State will need to review the results, that’s why they need an extension.
It is a pump test to see if there is “enough” water for the schools there. It does not measure the impact on neighbors, or look at the aquifer.
This has been a very rainy spring, so the water level is high compared to previous years. This single test will show nothing about an average year, or what it really needs to show, a drought year.
Extending this contract for this test is a horrible idea, especially if it locks the SB into settling with no other contingencies but this meaningless water test.
Don’t do it! Cancel before June 1 and think some more.
Someone forwarded to me an email message that was sent out last night at 10:12pm. The subject of that message was Jennifer is planning a meeting on HS-10 next Wednesday, May 20 at 8:45p. Meanwhile, Jennifer sent me a very pleasant message last night at 10:47pm but somehow failed to include that little detail. I guess I am not invited. That’s nice. I circulated the petition she needed to get on the ballot, contributed to her campaign, walked neighborhoods several times with her, hosted a meet and greet, put up signs, stood in the cold on election day to encourage people to vote for her, and even now do my best to sincerely encourage her even tho we vehemently disagree about the importance of community-based schools . After all that, she decides to exclude me from her meeting notice. I guess I’m not invited because she just wants to hear from those folks in/near Lovettsville that are opposed to a school there. I just hope she does her homework before the meeting and gives the public ALL the information, even that information Dr. Adamo doesn’t want the public to know.
She’s having a meeting to fire up her troops to get them out there in support of the Wheatland site?
When she ran for office, did she do so with the promise to build Lovettsville schools in Lovettsville, or just build new schools within 5 or 10 miles of Lovettsville?
Has anyone questioned the need for a third high school in Purcellville? Or is it to be built with the hope that western Loudoun will have another housing boom? Is it also being built in Wheatland with the hope of wiping out all of the remaining farmers so that Sal can make even more money developing western Loudoun?
Sal has no other buyers for this land. If he did, he would already have sold it. It isn’t going anywhere. So why the rush?
RE: # 50
The only thing I can figure out is that were so burned by Fields Farm and what has been going on at Valley the past few years that they will do ANYTHING not to go through all that again….but that doesn’t make this contract the right thing to do nor this location the right one.