County has other empty buildings

The West End Plaza just will not go away. The real cost of this over-priced white elephant is just now beginning to emerge.

After roofing, what’s next ? Air conditioning? Plumbing? At a recent commission meeting, the three newly elected members had the good sense to cancel pending contracts until a needs study is complete.

Their reward was an outburst from Commissioner Pierce, who seems bent on picking a fight with the Salisbury City Council.

If there is an emergency need to move the Veterans Affairs and Board of Elections offices, why not use existing, vacant, county-owned buildings?

Two such structures come to mind immediately. The Department of Social Services building on Mahaley Avenue (with a new roof) has been vacant for some time, as is a very large DSS office building on West Innes Street.

The citizens of Rowan would be better served with a careful study of existing facilities before committing more resources to a structure that may end up sold at a loss.

— John Alexander

Salisbury

Hospital staff went extra mile

I want to thank all of the staff at Novant Health Rowan Regional Medical Center. Not just the doctors and nurses, but everyone, including the nursing assistants, the phlebotomists, the food service folks, the transport people, the ladies who picked up the trash and especially the public service officers.

If I’ve missed anyone, consider yourselves very much included. You all made what was an unexpected visit as pleasant as you possibly could. You provided much more than just care, which was excellent; you went the extra mile to make my wife and me as comfortable as possible.

Thanks to everyone at Rowan Regional, you have a great hospital and we should all be proud and thankful for you all.

— Jack Burke

Salisbury

More names for central office

Seems the name of the schools’ administration building is just as unpopular as the building itself.

Why not just call it what it is, the bureaucrat building? Or what about the George Wallace Center?

Since no education building is named for a black person, what about the Kay Wright Norman Complex? I believe voting for it cost her the seat on the board, since it was just as unpopular with blacks as whites. Perhaps the Miracle Education Center; if it’s a good education, it’s a miracle.

I prefer the Elizabeth Cook Center. Ever since coming here she has shown an obsequious obsession with the schools. She has sought to give them a blank check regardless of their failures. What it cost taxpayers, the Post or even herself was ignored. Her intrusion at one school resulted in the only picketing of the Post I recall.

As a reporter then editor, Cook used the Post as a weapon, a club, to beat her points into people not seeing schools her way.

Without Cook’s cheerleading and sharing of school successes through page after page of propaganda, it is unlikely the multi-million-dollar boondoggle ad building would have happened. Especially during a time of devolutionary, dismal, devastating, disastrous test scores.

Her name on the building could alone be her compensation. After all, it has been her baby. If false modesty prevents using her name, it would seem an abortion of all her efforts. Education was the game and Cook should be its name.

— W.F. Owens

Spencer

Good Samaritan

I want to thank the very kind gentleman who helped me last Monday evening. You were a real life Good Samaritan. Thank you again.

— Jacqueline Burke

Salisbury

Letters policy

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