On Monday, the Gilmer County Board of Education hired William K. Simmons to take over as superintendent. The vote was 3-2.

Longtime readers will remember Simmons, president of Glenville State College from 1976 to 1998. During that time he helped oust a state higher education chancellor, then held the position himself, while keeping his job at Glenville.

In 1994, relations with his faculty became so strained and unproductive that the Faculty Senate, a relatively new feature at the college, voted that they had no confidence in him. He fired or demoted several department heads. The resulting lawsuits were eventually settled, and Simmons eventually resigned. He remained a professor, then retired, and has for several years taught graduate English classes part-time at various sites through the Marshall University Graduate College.

You can imagine the wave of anxiety that went through the county as residents learned that on July 1, Simmons will take over the $80,000-a-year job leading Gilmer County schools.

Simmons says he will not be a divisive presence. This is his home county, he said, where he got his start. People asked him to apply for the job, and he wants to help.

"Someone has to bring the situation together," Simmons said. "This stage of my life, I'm above politics. I'm looking at what needs to be done."

First thing on the list, where to put new elementary schools?

The state Office of Education Performance Audits dropped in on Gilmer County schools last week because of that very question.

"What attracted us there was there was no approved comprehensive educational facilities plan," said Kenna Seal, director of the office.

The community and the board are divided, he said.

"It was a county office review." They did visit schools, but not to evaluate instruction.

"We examined the facilities themselves. We're looking at leadership issues, certification issues," Seal said.

Hundreds of communities across the state can feel Gilmer's pain, because they've been there.

At last count, Gilmer had 943 students in preschool through 12th grade, about 100 fewer than in 2003-04. They attend four elementary schools in pre-K through sixth grade and one high school with grades seven to 12. Enrollment has dropped steadily.

As enrollment falls, so does a county's share of state funding, and often, local tax collections. Yet, the cost of serving 1,000 students scattered over 342 square miles does not drop, unless you operate fewer schools.

There are other reasons to replace schools. Normantown Elementary has mold problems. Troy Elementary has structural problems. Then there is distance and the length of bus rides to consider and what any changes would do to existing communities.

Last year, Gilmer residents debated, one new consolidated school or two? Everyone who has been down this road knows you have to show a united front and put up some local money to get any help from the state School Building Authority. Gilmer put a plan on the ballot to replace their four old elementary schools with two new ones -- Gilmer East and Gilmer West.

It was a $20.7 million proposal. It counted on $8.77 million from the SBA. County residents would contribute $11.92 million and raise their property taxes by an average of $130 a year to pay off the bond. It failed with 37 percent of the vote, in a county that generally supports education and regularly renews its school excess levy, said school board member Thomas R. Ratliff.

"What the board has to do is come up with a plan," Simmons says. "You have to have a plan before you can talk to people about it. You may say, 'This is the ideal, this is the next best and this is what we do if we have to.'

"Once we come up with a plan people find acceptable, it is up to us to explain to residents, who are going to have to pay for it, to give a good, honest, straightforward explanation what we're trying to do and the need for it."

He sees several possibilities. A West Virginia University engineer found that Normantown could be put in "tip-top shape" for $400,000. Gilmer and Lewis counties might cooperate on a regional school that would serve students from Troy and Alum Bridge on either side of the county line. A one-school option wouldn't work, he said. The county may be able to have three, or even four.

Ratliff, who voted against Simmons' appointment, says he had several misgivings.

First, he is not convinced that decades of experience in higher education prepares someone to run a county school system, with its different and demanding laws.

Second, the county school system works well with Glenville State College, so ambitious high school students are able to start college classes before they graduate. Ratliff doesn't want any old tensions to disturb a good system that serves students well.

Finally, he thought the vote was premature. The surprise visit from Kenna Seal's office happened just before Monday's meeting. Seal's report is expected in June. Ratliff thought anyone going into the job should have the opportunity to see that report first and know what is ahead.

"Even though it was a 3-2 vote, after he was hired, I congratulated him," Ratliff said. "I'll work with him as much as I can. The superintendent's job is very difficult."

Ratliff, whose children are grown and who retired after 39 years with Allegheny Power, 20 as a district manager, said he ran for school board because he wanted to give back to his community.

"I've got to believe Mr. Simmons probably felt the same way," Ratliff said.

Miller, the Gazette's editorial page editor, can be reached at d...@wvgazette.com.