While a new high school in our town has its advantages, the location chosen will be dealing with negatives as well. This discussion is to point out why another location should be chosen.

First of all I am not alone in this opinion of the negatives which will result if this school is constructed at this particular location.

Quillen Ave is, and has always been a very safe quite residential neighborhood. It is a prime location in the city of Fountain Inn and most neighbors are as family.

The new high school proposed to be built there will generate large volumes of excessive traffic and although turning lanes have been added to the plans when building the school, it will present safety hazards and traffic back ups affecting all connecting streets.

Directly across the road in front of new school site is Quillen Manor Assisted Living for the elderly. These residents sometimes have varying degress of dementia and have, at times wandered away fron the facility to neighboring homes.  This at any time is a safety issue but with increased volumes of traffic it will be moreso.

Traffic backups will prevent residents in the areas added delay in getting out of their own yards. The overflow will actually affect the entire area and possibly evolve all the way to Main St.

The assisted living facility does not create excessive traffic at any time but will be greatly affected if the school is built there.

There will be much noise and bright lights affecting areas when football games and other events are held in addition to the traffic.

Several landowners are in agreement with the selling of their property and seem pleased with their offers. However, one landowner, whose property is almost dead center of the site for the school was not even aware of the plans until plans were pretty much in the works to obtain the surrounding land.  When they were approched, they were offered an amount for their property that is not even efficient to purchase a place of equal and comparable value in such a prime location. This should be sufficient enough to replace their home.

In cases such as this, and the owners do not agree with the amount offered them as a fair market value, another negative monster arises. It is called "Eminent Domain" and allows the state to condemn their property and pay them only what the STATE wants to pay and the owners are forced to accept that amount and evacuate their own home. This happens no matter what the owner says. Oh yes they could take it to court, but how do you also pay attys. and court fees on social security? And still they run the risk of the eminent domain anyway.

 This particular owner has lived here for over 48 yrs. They are on social security and cannot afford a home mortgage. They have no other income.

It seems more like COMMUNISM would be a better name for this procedure!  You could be affected at any time if any of the gov't whether state, federal or local, decides they want your property for an inclusive reason that they say is ALLOWABLE!  NO ONE should be forced to evacuate their home on such grounds, period!

What if this couple was you? What if is someone you love? Well it IS SOMEONE I LOVE! IT IS MY PARENTS who are decent Christian, law-abiding citizens who have maintained our home place through the yrs as it still looks like new home! They have sacrificed and worked many yrs to finally pay for it and to raise my brother and me and to be secure in their latter years to have a home they THOUGHT no one could take from them. They worked honest, jobs to support us. They didnt INHERIT what they have. They didnt cheat others to gain what they have, nor did they sell drugs to do it! They didnt come here with silver spoons in their mouths. Their parents were hard workers who barely got by. My parents even helped them in their latter years to see they were taken care of because they loved theirs just like I love mine!

Ponder these questions and apply them to your life and see what answers you come up with if you were in their place and this was your home that you could be forced from for what? Progress?

1. Can I become victim as this family has?

2. Will my taxes be raised because of this school?

3. Will more roadspace be needed due to traffic created by this school which could possibly mean some of my property will be taken to accomodate?

4. Will I be victim of eminent domain if additional space for school or parking becoime necessary?

5. Will I be offered less than fair market value with the excuse being "oh the economy is down and we cant pay you what it is worth"?

6. Is it your fault the economy is down? Then why should you have to sacrifice your home where your children were raised and grandchildren visit for chump change?

7. Do you or do you have loved ones who travel this area daily that would be at greater risk due to excessive traffic?

8  Do you have loved ones who would be students or faculty members faced with safety issues and excessive traffic?

Oh yes we have traffic problems everyday and most everywhere. But if highways that are more apt to accomodate the traffic cant do so, then do you really think Quillen Ave with only a few new turning lanes can handle more?

9. Is Fountain Inn going to profit from a tax increase from the new school or are they genuinely only interested in providing education and have no tax increase?

There is much to say but I think you get my point and concern.

If you choose to voice your opinion, please do so, This is not to be used for arguements and that is not the purpose I started this discussion.

It is to present a view of problems that can arise from putting the new high school on Quillen Ave. It is to make you aware that maybe this particular instance does not affect your home, but that the possibility could arise that one day you could be faced with eminent domain too.

I have begun a petition requesting all be considered and the location of the new school to be in another location.

I am not against the school. I AM against the location and the problems it will bring. I also want to hopefully help others see that we as citizens need to fight for things we believe in and against things we are against. NO ONE should be forced to leave their homes with any less than it would take to replace it in a comparable area. If Quillen werent such prime location, then why do they want to put the school there?

Well my parents dont want to live in a lower neighborhood in that it is unsafe and offers are unequal to where they are and what they stand to lose! They do not ask for MORE than what they have only AS MUCH! EVERYONE deeserves that.

If you would like to sign our petition and/or help obtain signatures, please advise here and we will see you receive copies. Thank you and please pray for my parents as well as the safety of all involved if this school is built in that area. May God's will be done.

Diane