By Brad Devereaux

    After a public hearing Feb. 26 and several executive meetings to discuss the issues, the District No. 1 Board of Trustees announced Thursday that they would take no action on either proposed action, leaving the Rocky Mountain Middle School open in Deaver for the 2008-09 school year and continuing the FFA program in the district.


    Board chairman Bryan Lee said the board decided what they did to avoid losing students and because of the commitment the board made three years ago to keep RMMS open until the new facility was built.


    “This board listens to its patrons,” chairman Lee said. “We heard a lot of discussion about these two issues and that had an influence on us.”


    Before the board announced the decision, they heard comments from FFA state officers Beth Wood of Laramie and Burt Andreen of Casper, who spoke in support of vocational education and FFA.


    "[FFA is] creating people with character and responsibility for the future of our communities,” Andreen said.


    They also heard a comment from John Cordner of Frannie in support of FFA.


    “I’ve seen firsthand what happens when ag disappears or even declines. In my previous home [in South Dakota] it was a case of urbanization," Cordner said. "The remaining farmers become the victim of restricted laws and, ultimately, farming is eventually snuffed out.”


    “I think it would be the start of a slide down that slippery slope to depopulation if you did allow the abolition of the FFA program within the school.”


In other news:
    Facilities director Michael Simmons announced the land transfer from the Town Of Cowley to the school district is in the final stages.


    He said Plan One architects are working on revisions on plans for the junior/senior high school facility and the district is nearing the 95 percent value engineering stage.


    The board recognized Rocky Mountain and Burlington students for competing in the Big Horn County Spelling Bee, held in Manderson Feb. 26.


    Business Manager Richard Parker reported to the board that the district audit on experience and certification was completed. The district did pretty well, Parker said.


    The board approved funding of about $350 for bus drivers for the Burlington senior trip on April 3 after a brief presentation by class president Ethan George. The trip would take students to the Denver Mint, Denver Museum of Natural Science, the Denver Mystery Theatre, and the zoo.