Fayette County Board of Education

members Greg Powers and Mickey Littlefield take their seats this month

as the senior members of the board as they welcome three newly elected

women Marion Key, Janet Smola and Terri Smith.

Last week, Powers and Littlefield

shared their thoughts and ideas about the board's direction and the top

issues facing the board this year.

Powers said he feels more secure

in his position on the board after two years. "I feel like I can

set the direction; not just follow along," he said. He and Littlefield

served with Debbie Condon, Connie Hale and Woody Shelnutt, all three veteran

members of the board. Shelnutt and Condon chose not to seek reelection

this year. Hale lost her bid for reelection to Marion Key.

"Coming together and electing

a chairman" is the first item of business Powers said must be done

before the board can move forward with its biggest project a school building

program that will add three elementary schools, one high school and a

number of structural improvements to existing schools.

The board will meet in a work

session Monday, Jan. 8 to elect a chairman and listen to presentations

on construction management with the intention of developing a philosophy

on how to oversee the latest building project.

Powers said the first two schools

to be built will be elementary facilities, followed by a high school next

year and a third elementary in 2003. "Look for the whole program

to be a four- to five-year process," Powers said.

Renovations will be sandwiched

in during the five-year plan.

Voters passed a $65 million

bond referendum Nov. 7 to finance the building project. Powers said the

final price tag would be $72 million, with the remaining funds earned

through interest generated over five years. According to Littlefield,

the board is right "on the verge" of purchasing land to begin

construction.

Powers said the board is seeking

large tracts of land, similar to the Peeples property that was used to

develop the South Complex, composed of Peeples Elementary, Rising Starr

Middle and Starr's Mill High schools. "We're looking at large tracts

to meet future growth and future needs," Powers said.

But there are a lot of variables

to be met when purchasing property for schools, he indicated. Traffic

and environmental issues must be dealt with, and the state department

of education must give final approval.

Littlefield and Powers also

have personal items of interest on their agendas. As an insurance agent,

Littlefield said he has seen the results of automobile accidents involving

teen drivers. "One legislative issue I would like to see passed is

mandatory driver's education and driving age raised to 17," he said.

Powers is interested in promoting

fine arts programs in the schools and optimizing use of the LaFayette

Educational Center. Both men agreed that they are ready to do business

and give their full support to Dr. John DeCotis, Fayette County's school

superintendent.