Residents air concerns over school site
By J.D. Walker
Staff Writer, The Courier-Tribune
CLIMAX - Roughly 50 northeast Randolph County residents assembled at
the Climax Fire Department Thursday, all with deep concerns and suspicions
about the county's proposed plan to build a new high school on Mack Lineberry
Road.
Suzanne Baldwin, who spoke for a committee of 18 property owners whose
land adjoins the proposed 100-acre site, spearheaded the meeting. She asked
those in attendance to rally others in the community to speak out against
the project at an upcoming Randolph County School Board meeting on Feb.
21, 6 p.m., at the central office at 2222 S. Fayetteville St. in Asheboro.
"We need to stop this before it gets to the planning board,"
said Baldwin. "We need to let the school board know that a lot of us
here don't want this school."
Randolph County commissioners voted on Jan. 3 to raise $51 million through
a series of Certificates of Participation (COPs) to pay for two new high
schools, one in the northeast corner of the county and a second in ArchdaleTrinity.
Opponents to the project raised many concerns and discussed a number
of rumors circulating about the new high school. Paramount in their concerns
was traffic safety issues and the impact on wetlands on the 100-acre property.
Baldwin pointed out that many believe the additional traffic going to and
from the school would result in additional accidents and problems when fire
trucks might have to travel Mack Lineberry Road.
Baldwin said she has already talked to the Army Corp of Engineers about
how to stop development in a wetland area. She said she is soliciting information
about the number of accidents and fatalities on roads surrounding the site
from the Raleigh office of the Department of Transportation.
Equally discerning for many of the residents was the lack of communications
and cooperation they felt they had received from the county school administration.
"I think the school board thinks we're all a bunch of country bumpkins
and they can put it over on us," said Mona McElhannon. "I've got
more sense than they got."
Rick Sharpless said his discussions with school board officials left
him with the impression that this was a done deal.
"They're thinking the train's already left the station," he
said.
It's up to the community to convince the board that the train is still
at the station, he said.
Other issues raised by Baldwin included the noise and light pollution
the rural community would have to endure, the potential for vandalism of
crops and livestock on surrounding farms, the liability issue for property
owners with ponds and the safety of children in an area where hunters are
very active.
Throughout the 112 hour long meeting, audience members brought up other
concerns including a number of rumors many admitted were unsubstantiated,
like:
* The potential that adjoining property might be confiscated by the government
in the future because the school might need to expand and a large portion
of the 100-acre property is unusable because of wetlands.
* The rumor that the new school would have no cultural arts program.
* The concern that students brought together from far-reaching neighborhoods
would not be able to "get along," causing more unrest in the new
school.
* The concern that the new school would not offer the same range of vocational
courses now offered at Eastern Randolph High School.
* The rumor that the new school would not have an athletics program.
Supporters offered many ideas on how to drum up support and encourage
turnout at the Feb. 21 school board meeting. Some volunteered to car pool
to the meeting. Others, like Kari Harvat, offered to distribute flyers to
get information out about the project.
Anyone interested in participating in the opposition to the school is
encouraged to contact Suzanne Baldwin at 685-4692 for more information.
Copyright 2002, Stephens Media Group
|