County, Town Attorneys to Work Toward School Settlement

By Michael Alison Chandler (Contact)

Tuesday, December 4, 2007

The Loudoun County Board of Supervisors agreed in closed session today to have county attorneys conduct negotiations with lawyers for the town of Purcellville in an effort to reach an out-of-court settlement of the dispute over a proposed high school north of the town.

Purcellville Mayor Robert W. Lazaro Jr. had issued a letter last week inviting the board to meet privately with the Town Council to hash out a compromise. But Supervisor Jim Burton (I-Blue Ridge) said after the board’s discussion today that it would be best if the negotiations were conducted by lawyers representing the two sides.

“I don’t know if it’s legal,” Burton said, referring to the alternative of a joint closed meeting between the board and the council.

Burton said the county is waiting for town officials to provide a list of what they would like to obtain in a compromise, such as transportation or other improvements.

“I am happy to get to the point where we can have discussions,” Lazaro said of the plans to have talks between lawyers. “For seven years, the town has raised significant issues ... I hope they [the supervisors] have an open mind.”

Purcellville officials have argued that the county’s plan to build the high school without their approval would violate a land-use agreement between the town and the county. They say they want a settlement that will respect the agreement and that will address their concerns about the high school’s effects on Purcellville traffic and water supply. County and school officials want to open the school as soon as possible to alleviate crowding.

Legal proceedings in the dispute have reached the Virginia Supreme Court and could take several months to resolve.

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