Under the threat of a lawsuit over transparency, the West Virginia School Building Authority board has done a revote over rebuilding Nicholas County schools damaged by the June 2016 flood.
News outlets report the board voted again unanimously to allow using Federal Emergency Management Agency flood recovery money to consolidate schools after attorney James Barber and Stu Matthis with STV Engineers alleged state open meetings act violations over the first vote on Sept. 4.
Barber and Matthis, acting for Richwood High School alumni and some parents, raised concerns that board members didn’t know exactly what they were voting on because there were errors in a site selection evaluation document comparing two places where Richwood schools will be rebuilt.
The Nicholas board intends to locate Richwood Middle and High schools at Cherry River Elementary school.