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Around Town
Yard sale
The South Point United Methodist Church Weekday School will have a yard sale, Saturday.
The event is 7-11 a.m. Everything will cost $1.
Proceeds will go to the weekday school for classroom and playground supplies. The South Point United Methodist Church Weekday School operates Monday-Friday, 8:30-11:30 a.m., with classes for children 1-4 years old.
The church is at 510 South Point Road in Belmont.



PressTalk


•I am writing in response to the turf issue at South Point High School and the misleading assumptions that have been made against the Parks and Rec Dept.

1. South Point is run by the county and not the city of Belmont. For the citizens of Belmont to hand over money to South Point to redo their field is ridiculous. Not every tax paying citizen’s students will attend South Point High School. Some will attend East Gaston based on district lines. Should the city give them money to turf their field also? If the turf is as good as it seems, why won’t the school invest in it as Asheville did? In the proposal there was no mention of Parks and Rec ever having access to the field they funded and the Optimist would have limited access provided South Point does not need it first. The Optimist had an agreement with the school that allowed them access which was denied more than honored due to weather and possible damage to the field.

2. The Optimist are not a city run organization. They are not under Parks and Rec and are a private non-profit organization. The city does not owe them anything. The optimist have leased two fields for football on Boat Club Road that they now feel are not adequate to support there needs. My suggestion is to work with your members to make it work. Parks and Rec has made practice areas available without charge to include the use of the concession stand at Davis Park.


3. The Parks and Rec Dept. is responsible, and answers to the city council and the voters of Belmont. Many of which do not have children who play football or cheerlead. They have to take these providers of funds in consideration before we make agreements and hand over tax money to a private group.

4. The Parks and Rec Dept. have to provide opportunities to all who wish to engage in their programs (not just the ones who fall into a specific weight class).

5. For those who wish to have the Optimist move to Cramerton I would suggest you ask them why they chose a different football program to be a part of (one without maximum weight cap). I am glad Holbrook Middle School stepped up and allowed access to their field for the Optimist to use. Too bad South Point wouldn’t do the right thing for children as Holbrook did.

It has become too easy for the Optimist to bad mouth Parks and Rec and accuse them of being cruel to children of the community every time they don’t get what they want. I wish the Optimist all the luck with their program as my child is a part, but give Parks and Rec a break they are doing what they can. They are responsible for a lot more than football and sports in general.



•The City of Mount Holly applauds the fact that our ABC Store is one of the most profitable in the state. It seems to me that it means we have more than our fair share of alcoholics in our town.



•Mount Holly spent all that money to refurbish downtown, and what do they have to show for it? Oh sure, Main Street looks good, but the people continue to stay away in droves. Look at Belmont. Main Street stays busy, and the eating establishments downtown are always crowded. Mount Holly has one restaurant that used to be in Belmont and a coffee shop. There are a couple of quality barbecue restaurants off the main drag that are unknown to a lot of people. Isn’t it odd that Mount Holly committed more funds to Whitewater than Belmont, but the people who compete at Whitewater are hanging out in Belmont? Think about it.



•So I’m confused: How did Kirk Stowe, who was given the contract to rent The Shack at Stowe Park, come to be the only person who was given the opportunity? If he was a Stowe from Belmont it might make more sense but from what I understand he is an entrepreneur from Gastonia.

The decision not to open the opportunity to the public at large was an erroneous move by Belmont City Council. Yes, they are underhandedly acknowledging the misstep but these are politicians who are schooled in these matters and it’s just hard to believe they collectively didn’t know better.



•It is nice driving over the bridge on Hwy. 74 near the Mecklenburg County line and seeing the water levels higher on the Catawba River.



•Presstalk is just the venue for concerned citizens to voice their opinions on hometown issues. Simply dial (704) TALK-551 and let us hear it. You will have approximately three minutes to tell the ins and outs of the issue at hand. Our capable staff will transcribe your message and place it right here on the Opinion Page to share with other readers.

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