Chairman David Newby: ‘There is something in the SPLOST for you’

Rome Rotarians hear about the diverse interests that collaborated and agreed on the proposed package.

This isn’t the first goround for David Newby, chairman of the SPLOST Citizens Advisory Committee, but it’s a particularly exciting package he’s shepherding to the polls.

“For the first time, we had young people taking an interest in the projects,” he said Thursday, referencing the turnouts in support of a skate park make-over, an agricultural center, blueways projects and a youth center sports pavilion.

“These young people took an opportunity to participate in the democratic process … and for the first time, we as a committee applauded.”

Newby was the guest speaker at the Rotary Club of Rome’s weekly lunch at Coosa Country Club. He had time to take one question about the 25-project, $63.8 million SPLOST package that will go before voters on Nov. 7 — and it was a useful one.

“What are blueways?” a member asked.

The word is relatively new in a county that only recently started emphasizing the recreational use of its three rivers.

It refers to water trails developed for paddling and other forms of ecotourism.

The proposed special purpose, local option sales tax package contains $3.6 million for soft launch sites, riverside campsites, a community boathouse, signs and an expansion of the RomeFloyd ECO River Education Center.

“There’s an increased interest in using our rivers, which are one of the greatest, and underutilized, assets we have,” Newby said.

The bulk of his presentation; however, focused how the 13-member committee settled on the final package. He noted their diverse backgrounds, the varied perspectives and areas of expertise they brought to the group.

After collaborating for 10 weeks in meetings that would often last four or five hours, he said, the individual members ended up with a set of projects on which they unanimously agreed.

“Not everyone will like every project, but there is something for everybody to like,” he told the club.

The SPLOST provides community investments, Newby said, in local roads and bridges, law enforcement, historic preservation, drinking water, fire protection, parks and economic development.

“If you believe the whole is greater than the sum of its parts, there is something in the SPLOST for you,” he said.

Diane Wagner / Rome News-Tribune Chip Mitchell (center) talks with Mike McDougald next to him during the Rotary Club of Rome luncheon Thursday at Coosa Country Club in the run-up to a presentation by SPLOST Citizens Advisory Committee Chair David Newby.

Diane Wagner / Rome News-Tribune SPLOST Citizens Advisory Committee Chairman David Newby speaks Thursday to the Rome Rotary Club.

Diane Wagner / Rome News-Tribune David Harvey (left) and former Rome city manager John Bennett catch up on the way to their seats at the Rome Rotary Club luncheon Thursday at Coosa Country Club.