Letter to the Editor

Voting 'yes'

Friday, May 7, 2004

Dear Editor,

My name is Michelle Gonzales. I am the mother of MacKenzie Gonzales, a second grader at North Ward Elementary.

It is on her behalf that I wrote this letter. She said that is was too hot the other day at school and wanted to know why they don't have air conditioning at school. She said everyone was really tired and grouchy and it wasn't fun to be at school when it's hot. My husband is Mike, a School Board Member who has been working very hard on this bond issue, but I am writing on my daughter's behalf as Mike speaks for himself.

I will be voting YES on May 11th for the McCook School Bond Issue, because it is for the Kids and it is the right thing to do. Just ask the kids and teachers who are in these two buildings day after day for nine months out of the year, they will tell you why they need a new building.

The bond issue has nothing to do with teachers leaving or the adding or removing of classes; it has to do with giving our children a safe, clean, comfortable, enjoyable environment in which to learn and the teachers in which to teach.

None of the other issues facing McCook have anything to do with the children. They didn't bring about the water issue; it has been an issue since the 1920s in McCook and will always be an issue. The air base fiasco, I'm sorry, not their problem. The wastewater treatment issue, nope not theirs either. A new transfer station, no way. A jail, get real they are elementary kids. We must not let those disputes obscure the obligation we have to the children of McCook.

If you listen to the radio shows or read the paper you will hear and read the same thing, McCook is growing old and not moving forward. However, if you saw the last Progress issue you will see that McCook is moving forward in areas and has a lot to offer. We have an ever-expanding medical facility, with the McCook Clinic, The Medical Specialists group and Community Hospital. Two retirement centers and a recently updated Senior Center. Industrial sites, like Parker Hannifin and Valmont. McCook Community College, the Work Ethic Camp, another ethanol plant coming to the area; just to mention a few. We are moving forward for the working community and the senior citizens, but have you noticed in all this we have neglected the youth of the community?

They ask for a new school, we say NO or tell them to make do with what they have.

The Ward schools have served the community of McCook well for several years, but we need to move forward. They no longer can meet the needs of today's education demands.

It is time to build, to grow, to move forward. It's time to take care of the education needs of our children. It's Time to Vote YES for the School Bond Issue.

On May 11th Vote YES for the McCook School Bond. Vote yes to build a new school and give a new educational future to our kids and future generations.