Now that it is campaign time again we start to hear about all those things in Currituck County that should already have been done.

One big item is the parks and recreation building/senior center that was to be built alongside the Cooperative Extension Service building near Central Elementary School. The plans were drawn up. The property is there and waiting and it seemed to be a no-brainer that Currituck would benefit in numerous ways from building this wonderful facility. The youngsters and the seniors would all be able to enjoy it.

So enough, already, about the tourists! Do they take precedence over our citizens? This new $1 million welcome center that has got the chairman of the Board of Commissioners arguing with the Tourism Advisory Board (whose job was to recommend the decor for the center) about whether to decorate with wood or plastic, has jumped to front of the line. Meanwhile, the plans for the parks and recreation building/senior center were draw up over three years ago and now probably reside in the back in someone's file cabinet.

The tourists are going to get their $7 million bridge to the Outer Banks and now a new Welcome Center. The citizens of this county need to have some of their wants pushed to the front-burner.

Our youth need this facility, a place for them to go where there would be guidance, competition and a place to stay out of trouble. Swim teams in the county schools currently have to travel out of county for swimming competitions. That is unacceptable. A pool here would enable them to practice here and be competitive.

The seniors likewise, would have all the programs and things to do to enhance their golden years.

Just look at our neighboring counties like Dare, Pasquotank, Perquimans, each of whom either has a senior center or is building one. Currituck should not take a back seat to any of the other counties. We need to put our people first, not the tourists.

BILL FREETHY

Aydlett