Phillips Announces Run For Mayor In Purcellville

" Geez, let's see. Eric opposes the high school in his backyard, Dean opposes the high school in his backyard, citizens of Purcellville oppose the high school in their backyard. Guess who are the bad folks using this history. "

" Eric- I can see that you have become delusional drinking all that County/LCPS ‘Kool-Aid’.

The “tipping point” is when LCPS believes the HS is needed, which Dr. Hatrick has now stated “January 2010”. Dr. Hatrick also removed the construction funds from the CIP since they won’t be needed until that time. I am not the one being “blatantly dishonest” for this is a matter of public record.

Again, as I stated below, there is a naive assumption that if the town were to cease litigation that the school would be built, and at the same time the county and LCPS would automatically drop their lawsuits too. I would hope that Mr. Phillips “the great white hope of western Loudoun students and their families” has that assurance in writing from the County and LCPS. Here is a legitimate question for you and Mr. Phillips to ask your new found friends on the BoS and School Board; if the Town of Purcellville were to cease litigation at the VA Supreme Court that they too would drop their lawsuits? It is my belief (from good sources) that the County/LCPS will continue on with their litigation. That said, do you honestly think that the County/LCPS would move forward with construction of the HS while THEIR LAWSUITS were pending at the VA Supreme Court? Regardless, s - l- o – w – l – e - y one more time for the record; the litigation before the VA Supreme Court has absolutely NOTHING to do with stopping the high school from being built!

In the end Mr. Phillips has no more power to “get the school built” as Mr. Lazaro has any power to stop the school from being built. It is the County and LCPS that has miserably failed the most innocent of its citizens - the children.
"

" Mr. Druhan,
With all due respect, I think bussing the kids is always a possibility the School Board may take, particularly when the new HS-5 in Leesburg comes on line. Our County has miserably failed the most innocent of its citizens - the children. "

" Bill,

The "tipping point"" is where the status quo MUST change. As in when (most likely) Colbert Elementary will be changed to 6th grade, Blue Ridge to 7/8, HArmony to 9/10 and Valley to just 11/12 - or kids get bussed. To say the HS should be put off and is not needed NOW is blatantly dishonest.

And to say that the County has to drop their suit first is not even close to believable - that is also blatantly obvious to anyone watching. If the town drops their suit, the school gets built - please don't try to spin this any other way than it is - don't insult our collective intelligence.

There is no good excuse for what Lazaro and the current TC has done to the kids of western Loudoun. Much as I worry about things like growth, development and "no new taxes" pledges, it is telling that Phillips is now the great white hope of western Loudoun students and their families. Good luck to Phillips, good riddance to Lazaro is what I say. "

" I am thrilled that Misters Phillips, Bledsoe, Larry and Vogt are running for office in Purcellville. Thank you, gentlemen! Purcellville needs leaders that truly support our children and their education. It is amazing that the current Town Council can vote for a new grocery store but oppose a high school. I suppose the town leaders need the money to pay for their lawsuits. "

" I see now that Mr. Phillips has decided to run so has the misinformation campaign. I have found that those of the same mind set as Mr. Phillips have a fondness of exaggerating the facts. Let’s start with bussing kids to “Leesburg (or beyond)” – NOT an option – NOT going to happen - period. Next, the LCPS has the responsibility to build schools, which has removed the funds in the FY ‘09 CIP to build HS-3. Evidently, the school system has once again arbitrarily changed the opening date from first 2006 to 2008 and now 2010, so much for “caring more for the kids” and nobody seems to be outraged by this. The same LCPS system that has been preaching how “were hurting the kids” with the awful crowding conditions at LVHS now believes the “tipping point” is January 2010 to build a school. The litigation before the VA Supreme Court has absolutely NOTHING to do with stopping the high school from being built. It is the county that first sued the town and then has appealed all 5 cases including those ruled in their favor. Even more outrageous is the fact that there is NO PLAN “B” should Fields Farm site require the county/LCPS return to square one. As matter of public record, as of November 2007 the town has spent $313K (NOT “$1 MIL plus”), the county on the other hand spent $1.2M just in 2006. As far as “pushing the need for access to Rt 7 for the site down VDOT's throat" that is fruitless since VDOT has no money. But, Mr. Burton championed $50K in a bond referendum in November 2006 for RT 690/RT 7 interchange engineering study, etc, now more than a year later NOTHING has been done. Finally, there is a naive assumption that if the town were to cease litigation that the school would be built. The other part of that fantasy assumption is the county and LCPS would automatically drop their lawsuits too. Of course they will right? Well think again, that is not going to happen. Have you heard anyone from the county or school system claim they would drop their lawsuits if the town dropped theirs? If the county and school board “care more about the kids” as they repeatedly claim they do, then why won’t they drop their lawsuits first? "

" Let's keep the debate about this controversial subject accurate. The Town has spent a considerable sum of about $400,000, not the $1,000,000 as stated. Misinformation, whether deliberate or not, does not serve to further the debate a lick.

And please ask the BOS what is the staus of the promised design of the 690 Interchange they, with Mr. Burton leading the charge, promised. I have not heard a peep on this. "

" It is ironic to hear Mr. Settle’s support of "getting children into schools" when he has strongly opposed schools where a significant number of students live.

Improvement of the working relationship between Purcellville and Loudoun County will require openness and honesty on the part of ALL involved. It is no surprise Towns have learned to distrust County officials, including LCPS administrators. Two examples: LCPS’ retraction of their earlier position on the need for an interchange on Rt 7 to access Fields Farm and LCPS' July 24 proposal to the Town of Lovettsville. The County decided HS-3 would be at Fields Farm as far back as 2001 and has done much to advance that goal ever since. The end does NOT justify the means. It is sadly apparent the parties involved in this legal battle will do ANYTHING to win, including not only the refusal to consider contingency plans but unfortunately also the apparent sabotage of viable contingencies. Why? Because if an alternate exists, the judge just might rule for it to be advanced first, allowing time for the parties to truly negotiate Fields Farm, as they should have done YEARS ago and should start doing TODAY.

Why hasn't the County just proceeded through the PUGAMP process as suggested by the Editor (see Nov 30 Risk Avoidance). It seems the answer is because…they don’t want to. Whoever ends up winning the Mayoral election will still have to deal with those who are among the most problematic of County officials, LCPS Administrators. Unfortunately these officials are not elected. The elected School Board majority live in the east where relatively new secondary schools exist (and more planned) that, compared to the Loudoun Valley cluster, have significantly more amenities and opportunities, as well as empty seats. It seems these representatives either have no incentive for bringing change because their local needs are being met, or they just can’t see that arrogant actions have been not only expensive but destructive.

Given a choice, I would rather pay MORE taxes to at least get something useful like roads and infrastructure upgrades for a hosting Town than for legal cases that effectively rob these kids of a reasonable high school experience.
"

" Lazaro is far, far better than this guy. Didn't Phillips come close to punching someone out at a Council meeting? Vote Bob! "

" Oh, happy day! There is hope for Purcellville! Thank you Misters Phillips, Bledsoe, Larry and Vogt for wanting to lead the Town. Purcellville desperately needs people such as yourselves who want to support the students of Western Loudoun. We need a new high school and we need it NOW. With the current water woes, Purcellville needs to stop wasting money on lawsuits and spending it more wisely. It is amazing that the current town leaders can support a new grocery store but not a new high school. "

" If the Phillips administration were successful the taxpayers of Purcellville would be stuck with a doubled tax rate to pay for the necessary road improvements for his high school at Fields Farm. His coalition of fiscal conservatives cloaked in home builder's clothing and dense development sheepskins would have to annex more homes into Town to solve the problem, raise taxes or heap more traffic upon us with no County funding. So we will get stuck with the traffic or homes because he claims he won't raise taxes. Build a road through Wright Farm and Fields Farm to send the traffic to Phillips High. "Leadership" in reverse ain't leadership, no matter how you shift your paradigm. At least the current bunch is trying to get the County to pay their fair share. No to more homes, no to Phillips. "

" Thank you for stepping up. With $1 MIL plus so far of Purcellville's money going to fight the land that the County has owned for years, I'm glad to see that someone is more concerned about getting children into schools. Somebody needs to get hopping on pushing the need for access to Rt 7 for the site down VDOT's throat. "

" Yeah, Mr. Phillips!!! At last, some relief could be in sght. We might actually get a school built for our kids to attend without spending all of our money in court trying to stop it. I'm thrilled - no one wants their kids bussed to Leesburg (or beyond), and right now we have nothing even starting to be built. Thank you Mr. Phillips! "