Dear Editor,
The other day I was driving through downtown and stopped to see an old acquaintance. I hadn't seen her in a while other than from a distance, and was saddened when I got a good, up close look at her. I immediately saw how the toes and sides of her shoes had worn through. I saw how her clothes were oh so thin. She had lost weight, as all of us old folks do. The skin on the bottom of her arms was sagging badly. Her chin was doubled up with wrinkles, her hair was obviously falling out as you could see through the holes in her faded bonnet.
I'd like to introduce you to this stately and iconic entity. Her name is the Triangle Cultural Center. Her shoes were the steps going up, how the concrete is peeling away and falling off. Her worn clothes were the walls that needed painting badly. The sagging skin on her arms were the sagging ceiling tiles barely hanging on. Her wrinkled chin was the wooden ceiling boards hanging down, waiting on the wind to shake the building so they could fall on the unwary. Her thinning hair was where some of the boards had already fallen. The holes in her bonnet were holes in the roof so bad that water falls all the way through to the basement. On the first day of dance classes and it rained so bad that one of the mothers had to go home and bring her towels to try and keep the rain out.
Mrs. Lois Russell is doing a heroic job trying to save this old lady. She is placing garbage cans under leaks and emptying them when they are full. She is touching up paint where she can. She is trying so hard to keep the cobwebs and dust out. Thank you so much Mrs. Russell for your efforts.
I have always been so proud of the stately old building. How so proudly she stood as a tribute to the once grandeur of this city. People still remember going to school there. The laughter of the children as they were educated. But like most of you, I saw her from afar, putting up a bold front, hiding what was happening. The big questions: WHAT HAPPENED? You know as well as I do what happened. The powers in charge, looking over the problem started the downfall as they kicked the can down the road. Seems like once it started, that old can just can't stop rolling. Administration after administration kicking the same old, now rusty, can. The building now standing is tribute to the thought and planning that went into its construction. The structure appears to be in fairly good shape. Once the roof is repaired, the interior could easily be repaired. It wouldn't be cheap, but a well thought out, long range plan that was adhered to could accomplish miracles. I feel sure that this building was built through a bond issue, paid off through people's taxes, and it seems such a shame to let it deteriorate. I speak through knowledge gained by 50 years in the building industry. Right now, the building is unsafe for use. Somehow or another I managed to start and run two successful businesses through my career. Because of my experience in construction and business, I feel qualified to offer a few suggestions for the council and board to consider. These suggestions are mine and mine alone.
The beginning would be to get the City Council and the Board of Supervisors working together as one unit, rather than as two separate countries. Rather than hiring friends, family and church acquaintances, hire competent people. Give them clear written instructions as to what is required of them, and the consequences (such as termination) if they do not deliver. Don't micromanage. If you hire the right people, you don't need to.
I really believe that you can get a federal grant for anything, even counting the ears on a hog. Hire someone to investigate, vigorously pursue every possibility. Write grants, then follow up. This could easily be a full time job.
Cell phones: Outlaw them on the job. You see as well as I do that at least 35% of taxpayer's money is wasted by their use. I know a contractor who goes around every morning collecting them in a 5 gallon bucket which he returns every afternoon.
Don't be greedy. Nearly all of you are drawing retirement checks from where you were employed as well as social security retirement. Every one of you took your job knowing the salary. You may deserve a raise. Fine! Limit it to the raise that the elderly get on Social Security benefits (We need it worse than you do.) The City Council included an $8,000 per year pay raise for themselves. Shame, shame on you. Accolades to you Mrs. Mayor for you vote against it. Don't waste money on frivolous trips to convention, seminars, etc., where all you bring back to us are aching heads and bleary eyes.
Allocate a certain amount of tax funds for restoration of these iconic old buildings and live up to it. I totally believe that if approached in a sincere manner, most businesses would donate to the restoration. I'm not talking about putting a teeny, tiny ad on the back page of The Herald, but personal appeals to all county employers. Don't forget us lowly taxpayers. Some of us will put our money where our mouths are. City Fathers, lead the way. Why don't you donate half of this magnificent pay raise, yearly to this worthy cause? Supervisors, you're not exempt either. I know that your salaries are mandated by state law. How you spend it is not mandated. Match this city donation. Don't you guys figure that it's a good time to give back, rather than just keep on taking?
Hoping for some help,
Dewey Hood
