Editor, Times-Union: Monday night's "Special Board Meeting" was interesting. There were a few things that seemed to be a little disappointing. The outburst of comments from one board member to another board member was very unprofessional in my opinion.
The other one was that one of the board members made a statement concerning things coming to the board without documentation to be reviewed, and this has happened four out of the five times they have met. But ... then on the next item on the agenda, the board turns right around and approves the moving of a portable from Jefferson over to Madison without documents stating the cost; they take the word of a man who called a company for an estimate. There were no estimates on paper from a few sources on moving the portable, electrical hookup, plumbing hookup, heat cost in the winter, etc., especially when it was stated in the past that the portables are very expensive to heat. It seems we are in the process of spending money to help clean up a decision that was not well thought out the first time (in my opinion). I wish they had pondered the subject a little more than they did.
I spoke to a few people today about this situation. There were a lot of comments and a few suggestions of what they could have done without spending money or very little money. I thought I would share a few of them.
One person said why didn't they approve "art on a cart" for a year until the committee was done with their study? Yes, it would make things a little different but not impossible. Another person said why don't they think of putting sixth grade at Edgewood and all seventh and eighth grades at Lakeview, freeing up space within all of the elementary?
Kudos to Ron for voting against this, and shame on the rest of you for not tabling this until you had some papers in front of you with facts about the cost and possibly some other alternatives. I don't think waiting just a little longer for facts would have hurt anything. If anything, it may have saved the school corporation some money, especially when there is a possibility we may or may not need a few portables at Leesburg, too. Now you can't very well tell them no after approving Madison's.
It worries me that it seems we are spending money freely out of our CPF. It worries me because we might be taking money away from something that our children need, or that it will make our CPF taxes rise therefore taking away from the GF taxes, which in turn makes people say we are in a crisis, and teachers need to be cut. Personally, I feel our teachers are more important than where our children have their art class. So please, in the future, I hope you make sound decisions that have facts and documentation to back it up.
Angela Fulton Silver Lake
Rude Boaters
Editor, Times-Union: I would like to ask a favor to those who visit by boat to Chapman Lake, especially this time of year! As a resident of the Lake now for 30-plus years, I find it just plain rude that those who visit (including bass fishermen) park your trucks and trailers at the public access ramp. The Conservation Club is only a half mile down the road, and they have been great about clearing off land to accommodate such parking. The residents of this lake should not have to wait until they can get through the drive to launch their boat. Please be courteous to all who enjoy this beautiful lake. Or maybe the Conservation Club should start charging an access fee! (There's an idea.)
Tina Pressnall Warsaw
Help A Family
Editor, Times-Union: There has been a plea for help put out in the community and I would like to make everyone aware. A local family, the Newsomes, was one family that lost absolutely everything in the apartment fire this past weekend. They have three kids: a girl, age 10; a boy, age 9; and a boy, age 4.
Each of the children were home at the time of the fire. All were taken to the hospital for smoke inhalation and have been released. Two of the children attend North Webster Elementary School, while one is still in day care at Donna Mosco's home.
The family has lost absolutely everything they own - pots, pans, clothes, furniture, toys, you name it. Let us all pull together and see what we can do to make these children's lives a little brighter. For more information on how you can help, contact Cindy Pierce, NW Elementary, or Donna Mosco, 574-594-5007. They are in charge of collections of cash and goods for the family!
Lynn Stevens, North Webster
Keep It In California
Editor, Times-Union: This is in response to all or most of Matt Perry's letters to the editor ... what are you doing? You live in San Diego where the majority of people are liberal. Why on earth are you writing back to your years-ago hometown newspaper? Talk to your friends in big-time California. They'll get all fired up with you!
I think you sound hilarious when you try to show off your extensive vocabulary... it's actually quite entertaining. You must be so bored ... so, so bored.
Erin Drudge Love Akron
Redeemer Rebuttal
Editor, Times-Union: This is an open letter to Ms. Hughes and those who want to defame and insult the good people at Redeemer Lutheran Church.
Ms. Hughes ... where was your money when you knew that the church could no longer afford the school? Did you offer the $7,000 a year per child you have in that school to keep it open? Did you? You have no place condemning people like my parents for shutting down a losing proposition. You have no knowledge of how that school came to be, who started it or who abandoned the church when things got tough. The people that made the poor choices to take that school out to the west side of town are no longer there. I pray that when they restart the school on church property, where they should have kept it, you don't burden them with your kids.
My parents are on a fixed income, a large percentage of which went to pay for your child's education. Would you have them stop purchasing medications or go without food to pay for your child's schooling? Why didn't you pay more?
Yes ... it was a "business decision" ... there wasn't enough money to keep it open, more students wouldn't have made it better, but worse. Get your facts straight and offer to pay your way before you start your scathing condemnations.
