To the editor:
Before today, I have never written a letter to the editor of any newspaper. However, I feel that there are several misconceptions about the new Parks and Recreation project that need to be addressed before people head to the polls tomorrow. This will be one of the most important votes that Richmond County citizens can make in an effort to prevent our county from heading in a downward spiral toward poverty.
The purpose of this project is not to create jobs for city employees or parks and recreation employees. It is to make Richmond County more enticing for industries who are trying to move families here. People will be more apt to relocate if they see this as a growing community. Industry leaders will have a hard time convincing their employees to move to a community where it seems as though the well-being of the youth is not a high priority. Business leaders will be hard pressed to convince employees with no ties to this area to move here without some type of incentive for their families.
Another issue that seems to keep coming up is the location of the park. I was born in Hamlet and I have lived here most of my life. Would it be more convenient for me if this complex was constructed in Hamlet? Absolutely! However, I realize that the city of Rockingham is better equipped to maintain a facility of this magnitude. I also realize that Rockingham is a central location where the facility can be accessed more easily by ALL Richmond County residents. As strong as my ties are to Hamlet, the most feasible location for this project is in the only city that has the resources to keep it up.
I realize that many people are looking at this complex as a burden because it is funded by a small tax increase. This is such a small increase that most people will not even notice the difference. My children may never step foot on any of the fields, but I see this as an investment in our community in hopes that maybe their children will benefit from it one day.
Please remember when going to the polls that a vote of ‘no’ essentially means that we do not value our youth or our community enough to invest in it. Richmond County citizens have the opportunity to join together to make this a better place for future generations. Let’s not let this opportunity slip through our fingers.
Mica Way
Hamlet
