Local

Growth, roads are top priorities for new ELBA leaders

By SHERRY KITTS, Staff Writer

March 27, 2002 - DENVER — Growth, education, and commitment to the community will be top priorities for East Lincoln Betterment Association’s new leaders, Greg Coffey and Celeste Renaldo.

 The pair took over for former ELBA president Chuck Baerman, who left the position to move to Texas.

“We were asked individually to take over as co-presidents,” Renaldo said. “We each believed that alone we couldn’t devote the time to the task, but together we could.”

Baerman was president for several months, after taking over for Sylvia Holmes. 

“Sylvia is a very hard act to follow,” Renaldo said.

Renaldo said she decided to take the position because she believes ELBA, which now has more than 150 members, is a vital part of the east Lincoln community, serving as a voice for citizens on issues that affect the entire community.

“I am honored to be asked to have some small part in continuing the tradition,” she said.

Renaldo and Coffey want to get citizens involved through various committees, such as the environmental, parks and recreation and highway panels.

Coffey said the highway committee will address the increasing traffic problem in east Lincoln as one of the top priorities.

 “The transportation issue is critical, and it is important that we stay plugged in because of growth in the area,” Coffey said. “Until we get Highway 16 completed into Catawba County, traffic pressure is going to be tremendous.”

Coffey said a great deal of traffic will be dumped onto N.C. 73 in front of East Lincoln High School and onto Little Egypt Road in front of Catawba Springs Elementary School.

“It will be a dangerous area,” he said. “It is something we are very concerned about.”

Coffey said ELBA will also focus on education. He has his own vision of how ELBA members could help students in east Lincoln.

“So many young people don’t have role models,” he said. “There is a huge need for tutoring and mentoring in our schools.”

Showing concern for students and giving them some time can make a world of difference in a youngster’s life, he said.

Along with education and traffic issues, Coffey said ELBA will stay “plugged in” with Lincoln County Economic development group.

 “They will get anything they need from ELBA to make sure our residents here in east Lincoln are represented,” Coffey said.

ELBA also wants to make sure residents of east Lincoln are represented at Lincoln County Board of Commissioners meetings.

Coffey wants to have two ELBA members present at all meetings, and he wants to “grow ELBA’s membership” to include young families.

Renaldo said ELBA is continuing the library fund-raising campaign to furnish the new East Lincoln Library Branch.

ELBA wants to raise  $250,000 for the project, which will pay for carpeting, computers, and bookshelves.

At the recent library groundbreaking ceremony, library fund-raising committee chairperson Sylvia Holmes said over $142,000 has been raised in pledges and donations.

ELBA is also gearing up for east Lincoln’s Relay for Life and will sponsor a popcorn booth to help raise money for cancer research.

Both leaders invite citizens to come to the meetings to see what ELBA is all about.

“ELBA has many goals for the coming year,” Coffey said. “We would really like to see the community get more involved.”

© 2001 Lincoln Times-News  

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