The Potomac Highlands Dispatch - the online newspaper

Metz says Board of Education didn't get copy of letter until Friday, more than a week after it was mailed
* Metz said Commissioner McKay told him of letter on Jan. 4
* 'Quite surprised' to learn of contents of letter
* Metz: 'Those officials who have signed this petition fear (Tom Marsh). There is no other rational explanation.'

By The Potomac Highlands Dispatch
CUMBERLAND, Jan. 9 -- Allegany County Board of Education member Jeff Metz took issue with how he and his fellow board members learned of a Dec. 27 letter sent to the District 1 delegation from the county commissioners that expressed support for a proposed bill that pushes to reopen schools in communities across the county.

Metz called The Potomac Highlands Dispatch late Sunday night and said Commission President Mike McKay mentioned the letter as the two had lunch together on Jan. 4. It was the first time he'd heard of the letter, Metz said. He didn't receive a copy of the letter for another three days. Upon receipt, "I was shocked," Metz said.

The Board of Education, he said, does not "support it in any way, shape or form. I told (McKay) how disappointed I was this had come back up."

The Allegany County Board of Commissioners have asked local state lawmakers to ensure voters are aware of the costs of a proposed legislation that would help bring back up to eight high schools that have closed over the past 20 years.

The Allegany County Neighborhood Public Schools Act of 2011, as presented by Westernport resident Tom Marsh, pushes for a referendum to allow Allegany County residents to vote whether they want up to eight schools in the county reopened. Those schools include the now-closed high schools in Mount Savage, Flintstone and Oldtown. Marsh has waged a similar battle to keep community schools open since Bruce and Valley high schools were consolidated in 1986.

The commissioners sent a letter, dated Dec. 27, to the delegation asking that, if Senator George Edwards and Delegates Kevin Kelly, LeRoy Myers and Wendell Beitzel do move Marsh's bill forward into a referendum, they want the delegation to include language that will alert voters to the potential costs of the referendum, if approved.

On Jan. 4, Metz said McKay told him the commissioners were giving the bill their seal of approval, with some suggested changes.

"I said, 'Mike, what are you doing?'"

The letter was more a "ringing endorsement" than general support, Metz said.

Metz said he wasn't given a copy of the letter until Friday. Even then, it didn't come from any of the three commissioners. Metz sent an email to all three commissioners as well as County Administrator David Eberly

In the email, Metz told the commissioners in the that Marsh has been "waging a personal battle" since 1986 when Metz was a high school junior. Since then, the county has gone through 13 elections without voters giving elected officials a mandate to reopen the schools.

Metz also encouraged the commissioners to contact board members before sending out such letters to the delegation. Otherwise, "it catches everybody off guard."

Those schools - including Oldtown, Flintstone, Mount Savage and consolidations of Bruce and Valley high schools along George's Creek - closed due to the county's shrinking population.

"These communities have moved well beyond this process," Metz said. "Those elected officials whoh ave signed this petition fear (marsh). There is no other rational explanation."

He said if the issue gets to Annapolis through the delegation, it could "seriously embarrass our county yet again."

Metz said board members plan to offer a formal response to the commissioners' letter at their regularly scheduled board meeting Tuesday at 108 Washington St. in Cumberland.