To the editor:
Halifax has become a very poor rural county in recent years due in large part to the loss of tobacco, textiles and furniture.
More recently, adding insult to injury, we virtually gave away our hospital to Sentara, a conglomerate out of the Norfolk area.
Can it get any worse? Yes, it can — and indeed it did.
Somehow, by hook and crook, literally, we are now on the road to building a new $150 million high school that we can’t afford and don’t need. How could this happen you may ask? Well, it took a lot of behind the scenes maneuvering by a few elected officials and staff to pull it off. Those people need to be held accountable and We the People of Virginia, Inc. has retained a Richmond attorney to sort through all of this and evidence will be turned over to the proper authorities.
This letter will address two subjects: our high school and our hospital.
OUR HIGH SCHOOL: We are well down the paper trail toward building a new high school that again, we don’t need and certainly can’t afford. How did it all come about you may ask? Let me tell you in a very succinct manner without mentioning any names, yet — that will come later. This whole sorted mess began with some very carefully orchestrated political maneuvering involving two board of supervisors members that led to an unannounced vote to build a new high school by our school board.
We have a problem with that.
Some county staff have been complicit with much of this maneuvering by hiding information from the public about the time and nature of important upcoming public matters and failing to inform the people of this county of important upcoming votes on critical public issues. When they did inform us, it was done in small print in the classified ads section of only one lonely local newspaper — not both; and who reads those small classified ads anyway?
That is not a good clean and open way to serve the people of this county — the very people who pay their salary.
Let me give you a prime example of the duplicity that has come out of the county administrator’s office. The good people of Halifax County were told that the new $150 million high school was not going to cost the taxpayers of our county one red penny. Well, that is an outright fabrication. In general terms here is the scenario:
1. We are borrowing $105 million for the school with an annual pay-back of $5.9 million.
2. Our new sales tax brings in $3.6 million
3. Thus we have a $2.3 million shortfall.
So, where is that $2.3 million coming from? Oh, they forgot to tell you: It’s coming out of your pockets. And here’s how it’s being done: We taxpayers are currently paying an elevated tax rate for an old school project which will be paid off in 2027. Our tax rate should go down at that point, right? Wrong!!! They arbitrarily plan to keep the same old burdensome tax on county property owners and that money will then go to building a new high school. All that was done without the knowledge and consent of the taxpayers of this county. That amounts to thievery!!
We have a problem with that.
Proponents of a new school say that our present high school was built in a swamp and should be torn down. That is pure baloney. There is some leakage through basement walls. but that is easily repaired. I have read the engineering soils reports and I have toured the building. I know of nothing that would come close to condemning that building — and neither does anyone else. Hupp’s Mill Plaza, just down the creek, was built in much worse conditions — an old lake bed. I don’t see Belk’s or Shoppers Value going anywhere. In summary, I can say without hesitation that our present high school ain’t going anywhere. That building will last indefinitely if properly maintained.
We have a real problem with our political boards. Nobody seems to have any knowledge about any of this — and worse; they don’t seem to care. All they want to do is spend somebody else’s money to get what they want. It was most embarrassing when the architects asked for questions from our two boards after officially presenting their plans — there was not one single question. No one questioned the ugly flat roof, the heating system, windows, building behind two all-night gas stations that hide the school or the traffic problems in the Centerville area — nothing.
Nobody asked about the heating system or how much a boiler system costs. Millions I’ll bet, and that’s just for heat. They could save millions by scrapping the boiler and using mini-splits in each room. They heat and cool, and each room can be regulated as needed. They were installed at CH Friend — they are cheap and they work great. Oh, but I almost forgot; they’re spending somebody else’s money.
LET’S TAKE A LOOK AT OUR HOSPITAL NOW: Over the years, our hospital has been guided by some of our finest citizens and many still serve on Sentara’s board in an advisory capacity. They are doing the best they can with a very bad situation. Problems with our hospital have been festering for many, many years and now those problems are rearing their ugly heads again. In an effort to convey the thoughts of many in the community, I will share with you the following letter that we are sending to Sentara, the new owner of our Halifax Regional Hospital.
Dear Sentara,
We gave our hospital to you in a good faith effort to provide better health care for the people of our rural county. Now, we understand, you intend to tear down our newly remodeled and state-of-the-art hospital and replace it with a jack-in-the-box, walk in, walk out clinic. There are also rumors that you plan to do away with our maternity ward and child care capabilities. Those units were bought and paid for by the good people of this county. Therefore, thanks to Sentara, in the very near future there will be no children born and cared for in Halifax County.
We have a problem with that.
And speaking quite frankly, if you attempt to tear down our hospital that was built by and for the people of this county, we will see you in court.
At this point you may rightfully ask, “Just who is this Jack Dunavant?” That’s a fair question and here is a quickie answer: I am a professional engineer with more than 60 years experience in designing, building and analyzing structures. So, I happen to know a little bit about buildings. In fact, you might very well call me a building doctor. And in that capacity, I can unequivocally state that there is no structural reason to tear that building down!
Continuing on, I have lived in Halifax all of my life, except four years of military service. I love this place and all the good people who reside there-in. My goal is to preserve and give back to this very special place that I so lovingly call home.
Bet you didn’t know that Halifax County is actually the center of the universe. I look forward to sharing proof of that in the near future.
In closing, I am asking for a response to this letter or a meeting with one or more of your board members.
Sincerely, Jack Dunavant, P. E., Chairman
We the People of Virginia, Inc.
There are a number of other issues out there that need to be addressed, but that will do it for now. I will mention this: Beware of solar — it’s OK for barren unusable land — otherwise it’s a very good way to ruin very good and usable land. Ah, but the big question is: How long are the good people of Halifax County going to put up with this kind of leadership?
Jack Dunavant
We the People of Virginia
