Last

month's approval of a $1.2 million expenditure to build a

gym at O.P. Evans Middle School in Newnan by the Coweta

County Board of Education is still drawing criticism from

the public.

During

Tuesday night's meeting of the Coweta County Board of

Education, resident Peter Skrmetti asked the board to

stop favoring schools in Newnan and treat all schools

equally.

"Thanks

to gerrymandered districts and so-called at large members

who cannot seem to remember that they represent the

entire county, those of you from downtown Newnan create a

solid majority of this board. All you have to do to unite

this community on educational matters is treat everyone

else as you treat your downtown neighbors," said

Skrmetti.

Skrmetti

chastised the board for funding the gym at Evans and said

the $1.2 million was more than the board has allocated

over five years for athletic facilities at Northgate High

School.

Another

issue Skrmetti had a problem with is the board's failure

to act on a proposed county-wide performing arts center.

In a

Special Purpose Local Option Sales Tax that was passed by

Coweta voters two years ago, the school system promised a

$5 million center would be built with the additional tax

revenues.

But the

board has recently said that revenues were not coming in

as quickly as anticipated and only $65,000 would be

available for the center.

At last

month's board meeting, board member Smith Pass said the

school system should consider working with another

government entity to make the center a reality.

Skrmetti

was pleased the board is now talking about the center,

but reminded the board of a promise it made concerning

the center.

"You

promised this community a centrally located facility.

Like other voters, I expect you to keep your promises,

and like other voters, I realize that the population

center of this county has now shifted to somewhere east

of (Interstate 85) exit nine," he said.

The board

did not comment on any of Skrmetti's statements.