David Culley Recreational Complex topic of discussion at recent meeting
It has been almost four years since the county named the complex after David Culley, and community members are not happy that a sign has yet to be erected.
Sparta
During Monday night’s committee meetings, commissioners on Steering Committee A discussed the long-awaited sign for the David Culley Recreational Complex located on Highway 70. The decision to name the complex for Culley and erect a sign in his honor was made almost four years ago. However, as of this date, the sign has not yet been placed.
James Leftwich, a Sparta resident, told the committee that he felt like they were putting this on a back seat, and it was never going to move forward.
“He doesn’t have nothing here with his name on it,” Leftwich said about Culley, who grew up in White County, played football for Vanderbilt, had a successful collegiate coaching career, and then coached in the NFL for more than two decades.
County Executive Denny Wayne Robinson told committee members that when nothing was happening, he made the decision to get a design drawn up.
“We had a nice digital sign, and it got axed in committee,” Robinson explained. “I decided to just bypass he committee and try to work with Robinson Racing Products and get a sign designed and put up.”
Robinson presented the design to committee members telling them that while it was nothing extravagant, there would be lights placed strategically to shine on the sign once it was installed. However, the design was met with disapproval from Steering Committee B.
“Me personally, I don’t like it,” commissioner Chris Brewington said. “I don’t think it’s outstanding to represent someone in the community.”
“That’s not what I had in mind. I don’t think that’s what anybody had in mind,” Becky Golden added, saying she understands there is a budget, but she felt they could do better.
T.K. Austin said he agreed with Golden but that this has been going on for more than three years.
“I'm not happy with this design, but I’m ready to get this done. Stop kicking it down the road.”
The motion to accept the design Robinson presented failed, resulting in Austin creating a subcommittee to get together a new design and present it to Steering Committee B. The subcommittee was made up of Brewington and Golden.
“Bring something to the next meeting,” Austin charged the committee with speeding up their process. “It’s almost embarrassing it has been this long.”
The next meeting for Steering Committee B is scheduled for Monday, February 2.
Members Discussion