Once again I come to you about the Warren building issue. I attended the board of education meeting on Monday, May 16, where decisions were made after the defeat of the bond issue. During the 30 minute public discussion period, a woman was speaking and challenged me (at least she was pointed in my direction) that since I was a no voter what did I propose we do now that the building levy was defeated. I asked to be recognized and responded to the person that this is not what I could make a decision on at the voting booth. The only thing I could decide was yes or no on the only proposal before me and that the BOE had only given me an "all or nothing" choice. Then a man asked to be recognized and in his remarks (once again it looked like he was pointing in my direction) became rather hostile and concluded his remarks with inappropriate language. I have been told I needed to be involved to make an informed decision, I come to fulfill my civic duty, and I get shouted and cursed at. This does not help your case. Being louder does not make you more right.
This issue is not going away folks because something must and will be done and right now no one is very happy. The BOE, in a latter part of the meeting discussed and agreed to conduct yet another public input meeting with representatives from the state schools facility commission on June 6. You must attend or stop bellyaching because the BOE keeps making decisions we don't like because at the meetings they have conducted it is mostly attended by people who want what has been proposed. We need to outnumber them at this meeting just like we did at the poles.
So here is an analogy. Our education system is like a great migration (or wagon train if you prefer) and we are constantly needing to move in one direction or another. Right now we have been on a plateau (or high plain) for quite a while with mountain ranges all around us and the representatives we elected (BOE) telling us we must make some decisions on what direction to move. Then the new wagon salesman from the state comes in and says if you take our (the states) help we can get you over the highest mountain around you. So the BOE says OK let's go and took off but after the first few steps looked back and over 50 percent of us are still standing where we are. So they try it again and again but each time they look back and we are still standing firm. Some say we should try to move forward in smaller steps and others say we should just stay where we are now and build better fortifications.
What is the best direction? Well I have my opinions (and they are my own), but in order to find out you need to come to the public input meeting on June 6. Now really my opinion is not that important but yours and mine together are. Right now I believe the BOE is finally willing to listen to all of our opinions and maybe try a different direction for a future bond issue instead of cutting and fixing 1.6 million each year.
So if this letter sounds challenging, it is. To the supporters, you need to start compromising with the no voters. To the no voters, stop talking to each other and come to the meeting and talk to the BOE. And everyone stop shouting and listen, but especially the BOE. Listen to all of us. There is a song that goes, "you can't always get what you want, but if you try sometimes, you might find, you get what you need."
P.S. To the BOE, you need to stop voting 5-0 on every single issue. You can't possibly be in 100 percent on everything so it makes you look like you are being led instead of being leaders.
Byron D. McCoy
Vincent
