By Larry Stanford

editorial1@

thomastontimes.com

The Thomaston-Upson Board of Education unanimously approved a site for the new Performing Arts Center (PAC). The action came at their meeting on July 27.

Operations Director Mike Majors advised the board that Manley, Spangler, Smith Architects in Griffin, the architectural firm chosen to design the building, had looked over several suggested sites for the PAC, and recommended that the structure be built on High School Drive, in the area just to the right and east of the parking lot on the south side of the high school.

Majors said by building the PAC there, the school system would be able to take advantage of the parking that is already located at the school. He added that location would also allow not only high school students, but also students at Upson-Lee North Elementary and Upson-Lee South Elementary to safely walk to the Performing Arts Center.

BOE Chair Keith Roh-ling said the architects would like Board approval of the site so that they could begin site surveys.

School Superintendent Dr. Maggie Shook noted that she had been approached by one community member, who had suggested a site at the five-way stop on Highway 74, near the Thomaston square.

Board member Terrell Jackson stated that he agreed with Majors' assessment that it would be safer for students at three of the four schools in the county to be able to walk to the PAC, rather than having to be bused downtown to use the center.

Jackson made a motion to approve the site near the high school for the Performing Arts Center. Board member Jacqueline Hollis seconded the motion and it was approved by a 7-0 vote.

In other PAC-related business, the BOE made suggestions for several people to serve on a PAC Committee, which would meet with the architects to discuss the design of the building.

Majors said the architects had suggested that the committee consist of school personnel, BOE members, central office staff, and representatives from the community.

It was decided that a band director, choral director, and drama teacher from the schools be on the committee, along with Rohling and Board member Angeline McGill representing the Board of Education and Majors as the central office representative. For community representatives, it was suggested that Jay Eubanks from the Thomaston-Upson Arts Council (TUAC), Juliette Hightower, and Eddie Rogers of West Central Georgia Bank be asked to serve on the committee.

The Board also stressed that the architects will answer to them, through Majors, and not to the committee.

The BOE also approved a resolution for reimbursement for the Performing Arts Center.

Assistant Superintendent Mike Gatlin stated that while the PAC will be paid for with SPLOST funds, that the system may incur some expenses before bonds can be sold. He said that the resolution is a "just in case" request, and that it may not be needed if enough SPLOST funds come in initially.

McGill made a motion to approve the resolution. It was seconded by Board member Leon Fowler and was approved, 7-0