By Beverly Norris

The Salisbury Post articles on July 11 and Aug. 21 raised far more questions about school central office project than they gave reasonable answers.
Is the top priority for Rowan-Salisbury Schools a brand new central office? Why is the office more important than solving the well problems at Cleveland and Woodleaf Elementary Schools or solving the security issues at Knox Middle caused by the building design? Those quoted by the Post about this project make sweeping statements and broad generalizations that serve only to cloud the issue. Facts need to be publicized, and questions need to be answered before a decision is made to build. This project should not be seen as now or never. A combined central office should be considered a goal, but not the top priority over the very real needs of the students. Safety of the employees is very important, but not more important than the safety of the students.
Could the administrative team publish the feasibility study data to show how the custodial needs of a 62,000-square-foot building, combined with the data lines and utilities, will save $200,000 a year over the costs of the current five buildings as Gene Miller says? How much will the lease payments be in addition to the $200,000 savings? What would be the source of this money and what items would be dropped to provide it? How much new furniture will be purchased? How much new phone and computer equipment will be needed? What would be the source of money for these items, and what items would be dropped to provide it? What are the moving costs to combine five offices into one? If current staff members are used for the move, what would be the cost in loss of man hours in the schools?
What are we teaching our children about fiscal responsibility when we follow Dr. Judy Grissom’s logic that we don’t have to worry about paying for the new building until moving into it? The same logic is used by those who use credit cards to live beyond their means, hoping that the day to pay never comes. The Post article also mentioned selling the Ellis Street office. What happens if it doesn’t sell? Is only one building to be sold? What happens to the other four? Wouldn’t there be costs involved in maintaining unsold buildings? How many unused buildings does the system currently own? How many former buildings of this system have been sold and for how much money?
What is the best way to show a positive, progressive image of Rowan-Salisbury schools? Would it be by building a new central office or by improving facilities and equipment for students first so that every student has an equal opportunity to receive an outstanding education, thus showing that our leaders make sure that nothing stands in the way of the students’ success?
Worries about the safety and structural stability of the Long Street office have been mentioned as one of the greatest causes of the need for a new office. Those issues need to be resolved, but a new office is not the only, or best, solution. What’s being done at Woodleaf, Cleveland, and Knox to resolve their safety issues? As stated in the July article, building a new central office totally eliminates the possibility of replacing even one of those schools. How many of the schools have major maintenance issues that could not be resolved within a reasonable time if a new office is built? What is the plan if one of these maintenance issues becomes critical? If the time, energy, attention and dedication of the administrative team are focused on finding a way to have a new office, how can they be focused on the many needs that directly affect students? Now is not the time for such an ambitious project that has no direct benefit for students. Meeting the needs of the students and the individual schools should always be a higher priority than the wants and desires of the administrative team.
One major question needs to be answered before any other. What is the top priority for Rowan Salisbury Schools?
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Beverly Norris lives in Salisbury.
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