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Memory loss leads to zoning change |
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Tuesday, 12 February 2008 |
This past semester, the most heated local election in the Town of Boone’s history swept through the community as if the outcome would decide the state of university and Boone relations for decades to come.
One of the main issues in the election was the controversial location of the new Reich College of Education building.
Some candidates were judged entirely according to whether or not they supported the location of the building and even the Appalachian State University Student Government Association took heat when it published the essay “The Truth about the College of Education” on its Web site.
For months prior to the election, local blogs and editorial pages
seeped of scathing letters to the editor and commentaries about the
building’s future location.
Local media outlets were at a boiling point in early November during
the runoff election between Liz Aycock and Dempsey Wilcox as both sides
used the future education building as a pillar to their candidacy.
 | Boone Town Council candidates meet in Plemmons Student Union to share their views with the community. File Photo
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Finally, the election ended anti-climactically, and everyone began to forget what the election was really about.
Then, on Jan. 17, 2008, as if the Town of Boone had gone through a bout
of short-term memory loss, the Boone Town Council amended zoning laws
to allow a future home to the College of Education building on the
corner of College and Howard streets.
There was no public controversy or dialogue over the zoning change – it just happened thanks to a 4-1 vote.
Before I continue, I wholeheartedly support the future location of the
college of education building. I’m not at all upset about the council’s
decision to amend the zoning laws that would ipso facto allow for
construction.
However, what I am upset about is how the town council candidates in
this past October’s election – save Stephen Phillips – deceived
students into thinking the election was about the college of education
building.
In fact, the election was about politics and what tactics the candidates could use to get elected.
What seemed last semester as one of the most important and
controversial issues to affect Appalachian students, fizzled out as
just another piece of legislation.
This fact is even more daunting when considering the comments
councilwoman Liz Aycock, Mayor Pro-Tem Lynne Mason and Mayor Loretta
Clawson said of the location of education building.
“It’s not a matter of if [the building] should be built, it’s where it
should be built, and I want a site that both ASU and the town can be
proud of,” Mason said Sept. 10 at the Boone Town Council candidate
forum in Plemmons Student Union.
All three of the aforementioned candidates were against the now future
location of the college of education building while their candidacy was
taking place.
However, all three voted in favor of the zoning change in the Jan. 17 town council vote.
It’s plain and simple: the college of education building was used as a tool to bring out voters and get elected.
After the election was over, the council members caved in light of the
prospect of four years of bad relations with the university.
Fortunately for students, the outcome is positive – the college of education will be put in the best possible location.
Unfortunately, sour politics reared its head in the Boone Town Council at the sake of student deception.
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