By Carl O. Smith Jr.

Special to the Telegram

Mark Strickland, director of Auxiliary Services for the Nash/Rocky Mount Public Schools, was the special guest and featured speaker at the regular meeting of the Rotary Club of Rocky Mount held April 7 at the Gateway Convention Centre. He was accompanied by Patsy King, Nash County Operations Manager, and introduced by Rotarian and Assistant City Manager Charles Penny. Rotary Club President George Ramey presided.

Strickland said that while as an employee of the school system he could not take a position for or against the proposed quarter-cent sales tax referendum on the ballot for May 6, he could provide the public with some insight with what such funding could do to improve education and the quality of life for students in the area. He noted that the tax, which does not apply to automobile sales or groceries, would be borne to some degree by travelers and other out-of-towners as the tax would apply to prepared food sales and hotel services.

Since 1997, there have been 17 major building projects at 14 different locations totaling some $93 million yet currently little existing debt remains thanks to aggressive action and cooperate between state, county and city government. There are some 36 school facilities on about 730 acres throughout the county. There are many worthwhile projects involving roofs, additions, and so forth that can be undertaken now in a cost efficient manner that would put the school system ahead rather than behind the curve, Strickland said.

One major project is a new Rocky Mount High School. The exiting facility, built in 1950 and landlocked on just 20 acres, has been updated to the extent reasonably feasible and should be replaced, he said.

The proposed location on Old Mill Road will be fashioned for a physical plant that can accommodate 1,400 students. There also is a need for a new elementary school between Nashville and Rocky Mount. The existing Nashville Elementary School is overcrowded, he said. With more than 800 students, some must take their lunch break as early as 10 a.m.

Other projects include redoing entrances to the Winstead School so that ingress and egress will be on Westminster rather than Winstead Avenue, playground improvements, furniture replacement and new carpeting.

The next Rotary Club meeting will be held at 1 p.m. Monday at the Gateway Convention Centre. The speaker will be Mark Henninger, the football coach at N.C. Wesleyan College.