By Kevin Puskar
Staff Correspondent
Martins Creek – About 40 people attended a town hall meeting on the afternoon of Feb. 26 in the Martins Creek Community Center to discuss Cherokee County’s approved plan to consolidate the three primary high schools.
The meeting revealed deep-seated, pent-up frustration from attendees in the audience, many who share the perception that the board of education and board of commissioners should have done more to inform the public. That perceived lack of transparency has led to many people feeling disenfranchised in the process, even though consolidation has been discussed in public meetings since 2017.
A question-and-answer panel session of candidates for office this year was moderated by County Commissioner Jan Griggs, with each candidate receiving about five minutes to respond. Jason Murphy, a lifelong local resident, said his “primary reason for running for the Cherokee County Board of Education in District 3 was because “I am concerned about the future of my children, the future of the community and everyone who lives here.”
Ben Adams, a candidate for Cherokee County Board of Commissioners in District 3 and also a lifelong local resident, said he “just always wanted to be a commissioner” after 20 years of service to the community.
John Midkiff, who moved to the area about two years ago, is a candidate for county commissioner in District 4. He said “the area is beautiful,” which is why he moved here and is concerned about growth. He prefers an organized, sensible approach.
One of the attendees, Ron Wright, said he is opposed to the school project in part because of lawsuits facing the county due to the Department of Social Services’ prior use of custody and visitation agreements.
“We’re lookin at all the lawsuits being assessed, the county is in bad shape,” he said. “We got no money. … You haven’t thought it out, we don’t have a plan in Cherokee County.”
That sentiment reverberated throughout the room without a single voice in dissent.
Jeff Tatham, a member of the Cherokee County Board of Education who voted in favor of consolidation and is now running for county commissioner, offered an informational narrative in an effort to provide answers to some of the questions regarding several aspects of consolidation. He spoke to concerns such as bussing, maintenance, inefficiencies and challenges being addressed in the current system, as well as the potential cost savings with unifying schools.