Gloucester supervisors clash over new middle school

by Quinton Sheppard - Posted on Jan 18, 2012 - 01:27 PM

Photo: Representing Gloucester residents on the county’s board of supervisors for 2012 are, front row from left, vice chair Louise Theberge (at-large), chair Carter Borden (York), Andy James (Ware); back row, Ashley Chriscoe (at-large), J.J. Orth (Abingdon), Chris Hutson (Gloucester Point) and John Northstein (Petsworth). Photo by Quinton Sheppard.

Representing Gloucester residents on the county’s board of supervisors for 2012 are, front row from left, vice chair Louise Theberge (at-large), chair Carter Borden (York), Andy James (Ware); back row, Ashley Chriscoe (at-large), J.J. Orth (Abingdon), Chris Hutson (Gloucester Point) and John Northstein (Petsworth). Photo by Quinton Sheppard.

The first hint of dissension among members of the new county board of supervisors arose Tuesday night during a meeting in the colonial courthouse when a board member requested a discussion on the funding of Page Middle School.

At-large supervisor Ashley Chriscoe asked that the topic be placed on Tuesday’s agenda because he had been getting calls and e-mails from residents regarding the previous board of supervisors’ allocation.

The board of supervisors allocated $18 million go to the Gloucester County School Board at its Nov. 15 meeting for Page Middle School.

Since that time, the school board made a decision to use that money to build a new school on its T.C. Walker Road property, which is located across Route 17 from the current school building and has hired an architect to begin initial work. Page Middle School was heavily damaged by a tornado in April 2011.

"The school board has stated it’s not sure if it is enough," Chriscoe said. "But I’m concerned about the citizens in this county." Fearing a tax hike for money already being borrowed for other items, he added, "I don’t know how much more the populace here in Gloucester County can stand."