Residents urge balanced town‑hall locations, call for Big Island pre‑K after Head Start cuts

Two members of the public asked the board for fair access and attention to rural communities ahead of town halls on redistricting.

Amanda Bryant (District 1) told the board the planned town halls were concentrated in the Forest corridor and said families in Stewartsville, Goodview and other western and eastern communities would have to travel across the county to participate. "If this board wants representative access, it must create representative access," she said, urging the board to place meetings where affected families live so working parents with childcare and transportation constraints can attend.

Elizabeth Mansall (District 6) pressed the board for an early‑childhood program in the Big Island area after federal funding led to the cancellation of the local Head Start. Mansall said Big Island has 17 kindergarten students this year and is the only Title I elementary without a VPI preschool; she proposed a half‑day pre‑K class funded locally if necessary. “Future kindergartners in Big Island community deserve a quality preschool,” Mansall said.

Board members heard the comments and reaffirmed plans for town halls and an interactive site where residents can review maps and submit feedback; several trustees said the board must use town‑hall input to refine options before any consolidation vote.