RFP Staff
♦ This past week the Rowan County Executive Committee, after considering several choices for the best location for the 2016 Rowan Republican Headquarters, voted unanimously to place its HQ on the 600 block of North Main near the corner of West Lafayette Street. Sound familiar? The property is owned by none other than County Commissioner and community benefactor Craig Pierce. The space to be leased, starting June 1st, adjoins Pierce Construction/Pierce Interiors.
The 2016 Rowan Republican HQ will be located on a spot having an easy access parking lot (unlike previous Downtown HQs on Main) and excellent site visibility. The property was leased at a reasonable price.
Previously Craig Pierce championed the West End Plaza (the old GNC space) as an excellent site. Not only did the West End Plaza offer great parking, but the money from the lease would’ve flowed into the county’s coffers. Yet County Chairman Greg Edds made an irrational issue out of going to West End Plaza, claiming that 5 Republican county commissioners okaying a Republican HQ at the West End Plaza would be showing favoritism. What? Craig countered that the West End Plaza could be offered as an HQ spot for the Democrats and the Libertarians–to any political party.
Then Judy Klusman weighed in with her eyes blinking strangely and sounding overly serious. Once again seemed unprepared to discuss a commission issue. She suggested to the commission that no leases could be put forward until the space-needs study came back. (The space needs study was already completed weeks ago and a consignment shop signed a West End Plaza lease and is doing business. People groaned in the rear of the commission chambers.)
Edds attempted to milk the idea that Pierce sent out “threating emails” about wanting the West End Plaza or “else”. Those people, blind-copied on the emails Pierce sent out, failed to see any alleged threats. Then the next day people saw Edds’ fake issue played again in the “fishwrapper”.
Edds, a major disappointment to many in the city and county who expected the “chairman” to accomplish at least something in the area of economic development, but to date his resume in this area is virtually blank. His campaign boast about doing a “thousand hours of economic study” (That’s 125×8 hr. days of study. Not possible for someone selling insurance full time and showing up as the county commission chairman.) Perhaps Edds is getting back at Craig for calling him out on pulling the construction contracts at the West End Plaza instead of tabling them. This costly error was Edds first major gaff.
Then Craig embarrassed Edds again when the Craigster pointed out the elements of the spec building deal in Granite Quarry were illegal. The LLC. developer, who was set to do the spec buildings, folded his tent and left the county.
While Edds appears to have lost much favor in the city and the county, he is favored by the city’s elite real estate and banking families. At least for now.
