A Lexington 1 board member said the district is buying more land than it needs. The reason is because a large pond sits on the site. The district likes to buy 30 to 50 acres for a middle school, said board member Jada Garris who voted against the site on congested Old Cherokee Road. “We are purchasing over 60 acres. Why? So that we don’t have to encroach on or develop the pond or wetlands areas,” she said. “The board was told that the district avoids land with wetlands at all costs because it delays construction and mitigating wetlands significantly increases the cost. “What a colossal waste of money,” Garris said. The Chronicle posed questions about the proposal to all board members. Only Garris and Dr. Kyle Guyton responded by the newspaper’s deadline. Dr. Guyton said that since he had recused himself from discussions he could not answer the questions. Garris said the road frontage for a middle school is not large enough. The frontage should be 1,200 linear feet, she said. “On Cherokee Trail there is less than 800 feet and on Old Cherokee Road there is less than 1,000 feet.” Garris also asked why the board — as representatives of the people who elected them — was not included in any collaborative meetings with the town, county or DOT? ‘Why not?” she asked.