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Lynchburg, VA —Last night’s Lynchburg Joint Committee meeting recommended a $20M CIP boost for schools in 2026, a second school closure by 2026-27, and a contested $5.5M budget hike—ESSER-funded staff bloat drew fire ahead of an April 29 vote. The Lynchburg City Council/School Board Joint Committee Meets at City Hall on April 3rd, 2025 The meeting : April 3 at 5 p.m., the committee’s final session cut 40+ suggestions to seven, set for a joint council-school board meeting on April 29 at 4 p.m., 3550 Young Pl. Key moves : CIP funds : Kept recommendation reversing $68M capital plan to $30M-$20M-$10M over FY2026-2030—Committee voted 4-1 to prioritize school repairs over libraries (00:55:33-01:57:06), despite Wilder's opposition. Closure : Voted 4-1 for a second elementary closure in FY2026-27 (C1, 01:36:22-01:41:15)—Norfolk’s $71M surplus school cost over five years cited. Budget hike : Adopted a recommendation for a $5.5M taxpayer boost to LCS’s operating budget—over Misjuns and Timmer’s dissent, who flagged a tax hike propping up ESSER staff hires under ex-Superintendent Crystal Edwards (02:03:33-02:05:00), with enrollment down 5% since 2015 (7,709 vs. 8,137, Table 31 ). ESSER catch : Misjuns said, “Enrollment [is] near 10-year low at 7,709 in 2024, down from 8,137 in 2015…staff is at a 10-year high” (1,317 to 1,518, 01:48:19)—Copeland confirmed ESSER funded it (02:05:00)—an unsustainable burden with no ongoing revenue backing. ESSER funds are one-time federal relief grants provided to schools under the CARES Act and subsequent COVID-19 relief packages to address pandemic-related challenges, like learning loss and facility upgrades, with Lynchburg City Schools receiving $44.4 million. Interim Superintendent Dr. Ben Copeland at the Lynchburg City Council/School Board Joint Committee Meeting By the numbers : $29.7M of $44.4M ESSER funds (66.95%) spent on LCS pay and benefits (ESSER dashboard)—staff costs dominate. $4.68M (10.53%) of ESSER on capital outlay—vs. 22.9% statewide average (ESSER dashboard)—repairs lag. $6.25M in roof needs flagged (Misjuns, 00:41:00)—tied to capital, not staff costs. $71M wasted in Norfolk over five years—enrollment-driven surplus (Norfolk resolution). What’s good : $30M CIP and closure target waste—ESSER overreach exposed. What’s missing : $5.5M operating hike would hit taxpayers wallet even harder than the City Manager's proposed $9.6 million tax increase. Co-chairs Dr. Martin Day (school board) and Dr. Sterling Wilder (City Council) at the Lynchburg City Council/School Board Joint Committee Meeting The kicker : Misjuns and Timmer balked at $5.5M—why tax more when ESSER bloat and shrinking enrollment scream cuts, not cash? Sources : Joint meeting video (4/3/25), Norfolk resolution , FY2024 City of Lynchburg ACFR VDOE ESSER dashboard .

House fire at 102 Warren Ave at approximately 8:30 AM this morning A devastating fire tore through a two-story home on Warren Avenue in Lynchburg, Virginia, Wednesday morning, hospitalizing five residents and leaving the structure a total loss, according to WSET ( wset.com ). The blaze, reported around 8:15 a.m. by neighbors who spotted heavy black smoke, prompted a swift response from the Lynchburg Fire Department (LFD), per WFXR ( wfxrtv.com ). Firefighters arrived to find flames engulfing both the front and rear of the wooden home, WDBJ7 reported ( wdbj7.com ). Several residents had escaped but reported others remained trapped inside, triggering an immediate search-and-rescue operation detailed by Andre Whitehead on Facebook ( Whitehead Media Ventures ). Crews located two people—one was carried out the front door, while another was rescued via ladder from a second-floor window. Of the five residents taken to Lynchburg General Hospital, three suffered non-life-threatening injuries, while two with severe injuries were airlifted to regional medical centers, Whitehead noted. One firefighter sustained a minor burn but was treated and released, per WSET. Fire crews on the scene of 102 Warren Ave after the fire was under control The cause of the fire remains under investigation by the LFD Fire Marshal’s Office, with no determination yet announced. LFD Chief Bush urged residents to maintain working smoke detectors and fire exit plans, offering assistance at 434-455-6340, as quoted by Whitehead. WDBJ7’s gallery ( wdbj7.com ) showed the home reduced to charred remains. Aftermath of house fire at 102 Warren Avenue in Lynchburg The incident marks a stark reminder of fire safety as the community rallies around those affected.

Miller Park Pool in Lynchburg, Virginia What’s Happening : Lynchburg’s Capital Improvement Program (CIP) for FY2026-2030 proposes demolishing and rebuilding Miller Park Pool, with a total cost—principal and interest—pegged at over $14.5 million. The Pitch : City bureaucrats insist on a full $7.3 million rebuild, ignoring a councilmember’s query about cheaper fixes like repairing the leak and adding privacy fencing (unanswered in the 3/18/2025 budget response ). Sunk Cost Push : Bureaucrats argue the project must proceed, citing $50,000 in prior appropriations—likely design costs—as justification (per FY2026-2030 CIP). Limited Use : Last year’s schedule—66 days total (June 1–9 weekends: 4 days; June 10–August 2 daily: 54 days; August 3–25 weekends: 8 days)—with 1-6 PM hours, equals 330 hours. That’s just 3.77% of the year’s 8,760 hours, likely making it the city’s most limited-use asset. Competing Needs : School infrastructure crumbles ($60 million proposed over five years), fire stations falter, and roads beg for repair—priorities dwarfing a seasonal splash pad. Miller Park Pool in Lynchburg, VA The Question : Does $50,000 spent really justify $14.5 million more, when year-round essentials are on the line? Lynchburg’s budget docs ( 3/11/2025 CIP presentation , FY2026-2030 plan ) show a clear choice: fix what’s broken or dive into a costly luxury.

TC Miller Elementary School in Lynchburg, Virginia. Lynchburg, VA —A joint city council and school board committee endorsed converting T.C. Miller Elementary into a pre-K hub, saving $1 million, and rejected new school construction through FY2030, citing costs beyond the $68 million capital budget. With a $2.8 million FY2026 operating gap and a $4.2 million spending hike in a $9.6 million tax increase, one closure falls short—Norfolk’s $71 million lesson says more cuts could save Lynchburg taxpayers. The pitch : T.C. Miller shifts to pre-K by August 2025, consolidating 10 classrooms from three schools, saving $1M in operating costs without cuts, says Interim Superintendent Ben Copeland. Full board vote April 1—not budgeted yet. The budgets : City Manager Wynter Benda proposes $4.2M more in operating funds (Budget p. 187), part of a $9.6M tax hike—schools sought $7M, leaving a $2.8M operating gap. Separately, $68M in capital funds over five years targets maintenance. Why it matters : Enrollment’s at 72% capacity (3,388 vs. 4,702)—below the 80-94% consultants recommend—and dropping through 2030 (UVA), pushing efficiency needs. Surplus capacity bleeds taxpayer cash. K-5 Enrollment Data and Projections for Lynchburg City Schools. By the numbers : T.C. Miller : $1M operating savings—if approved, gap falls to $1.8M. May 2023 LCS data : One closure + rezoning = $2.357M operating savings—adjusted to $2.43M (2025 dollars, 3% CPI). With T.C. Miller’s $1M, a second closure hits $3.43M—covers the $2.8M operating gap, not the $4.2M hike. Capacity : 4,702 - 276 (T.C. Miller) = 4,426; 3,388 students = 77%—under 80% target (3,762). Pre-K shift + another closure could hit it. No new school : Deputy City Manager Greg Patrick said a new build needs extra capital beyond the $68M—committee’s 4-1 vote nixes it through FY2030. Maintenance : Committee flagged deferred needs; Copeland confirmed no capital funds for the next closure school. The Roof of Sandusky Elementary School in Lynchburg, Virginia. What’s good : $1M trims operating waste, pre-K hub eases K-5 pressure—taxpayers get relief (#13). What’s missing : $3.43M from two closures fixes the $2.8M operating gap—but $4.2M operating boost still bites. The kicker : In a parallel situation, Norfolk’s council says surplus schools cost taxpayers $71M over five years (2018-2022)—their 10-school closure push dwarfs Lynchburg’s plan, where a second closure could save $2.43M atop T.C. Miller’s $1M, hitting $3.43M to erase the $2.8M gap. Why pile on to the $9.6M tax hike with enrollment falling? More Details: Norfolk Parallel: Norfolk’s council unanimously voted (March 25, 2025) to close 10 schools by 2026-2027, citing $71M in excess spending from surplus capacity over five years—parallels Lynchburg’s inefficiency. Budgets : Operating ($2.8M gap, $4.2M hike) vs. capital ($68M for maintenance)—closures target operating savings; no maintenance for the next closure school. Norfolk’s $71M wake-up call amplifies Lynchburg’s stakes—$3.43M could nix the gap, but the tax hike lingers. How much are surplus schools costing Lynchburg taxpayers? Sources : News & Advance (3/23/25) & (3/30/25) , FY2026 budget (p. 187), joint committee doc , LCS May 2023 , UVA projections , April 2023 plan, joint meeting video (Greg Patrick comments), Norfolk City Council Resolution .

The Lynchburg Herald—Where Facts Fuel Common Sense.