Steve Mensing, Editor
♦UPDATED: Today after receiving a letter from the Rowan-Salisbury School System’s Chairman Richard Miller that the Salisbury City Council received word from NC DENR that they had no objection to the development of the downtown central school office site located at 329 S. Main Street. Chairman Miller wrote that development could start immediately and no factors existed that pose a danger to the public safety, health, or environment. The letter went on to say the Rowan-Salisbury Board of Education, along with the Salisbury City Council, wanted to invite the Rowan County Board of Commissioners to partner with them on this project and requested the reinstatement of the Commissioner’s 6 million dollar “commitment”.
Here is Commission Chairman Jim Sides reply:
“To all interested parties (Stakeholders):
The Rowan County Board of Commissioners has spoken loudly and clearly on this subject. We appreciate that the City of Salisbury has now officially declared their intent as a major stakeholder in this project to borrow $8 million dollars on behalf of the School System to build a downtown central office facility.
The Board of Commissioners will not be entertaining another vote to re-enter discussions on this issue. No discussions of this topic will be permitted during the School System budget presentation on May 06, 2013.
We are all excited at the good news related to the downtown central office site being cleared for construction by NCDENR and wish the City of Salisbury and the Rowan-Salisbury School System our very best as they move forward with this project.
Sincerely,
Jim Sides, Chairman
Several nights ago Chairman Jim Sides told the RFP: “We voted 3 to 2 on this issue and that’s that.” Vice Chairman Craig Pierce told us Monday evening: “It’s a dead issue. There’s no real interest in rejoining that project. It’s on the city’s ball court and they are welcome to do anything they want with it.” Mike Caskey, when asked if the county commissioners might revisit the issue, replied: “I don’t think so.”
Thus ends the saga of the City of Salisbury and the Rowan-Salisbury School System attempting to partner with the Rowan County Commissioners on the downtown central office.
The Publisher of the Rowan Free Press might “consider” a future loan of 8 million for the downtown central office if the “stakeholders” are willing to name this “Wonder of the Ages” after him and prominently position his name on the brass plaque on the cornerstone at South Main and Horah. After all, money is no object for our Publisher who is being “bankrolled” by unnamed deep-pocketed organizations.
Files for viewing: See letters exchanged among the stakeholders the City of Salisbury (Doug Paris and Mayor Woodson), the Rowan-Salisbury School Board, and NCDENR here.
