Editorial

Community willing to share opinions

Wednesday, February 16, 2005

When people get together for coffee in the McCook area, you can bet on one thing: There's going to be something to talk about. Making this a certainty -- not only now but down through the years -- is the inquisitive nature of the people and their willingness to share opinions about any topic which affects their well being.

The topics change daily. Take this week, for example. Who could have guessed a few days ago what direction the community's conversation would take? But, suddenly, at mid-week, the cafes, bars, sale barns, convenience stores and barber and beauty shops are alive with talk of a variety of new, hotly disputed topics.

Here's a sampling:

THE CITY'S FINE -- There's considerable debate on this. Some are estatic that the city escaped with a fine of $300,500 for not complying with federal and state regulations regarding water and sewer improvements. They point out that the fines could have amounted to an unimaginable, city-wrecking total of $45 million. But others are disturbed that there were any fines at all. "Someone was asleep at the switch," they say. "How did this happen and who's responsible?," the questioners wonder.

PRANK ON MTV -- Opinions are also divided on the re-staging of a prank at McCook High School on MTV, a national television channel popular with younger viewers. MTV wanted to recreate the prank at McCook High, but Principal Jerry Smith said no, explaining that the filming did not fit the community's goal for education. After a 3-3 vote by the school board, the principal's decision stood. But that did not stop the community discussion, which is about as evenly split as the school board's vote. Some say the national exposure would be good, showing that a small town in the middle of America has a playful side. Others say showing of the prank would send a wrong message to young people and would encourage other, similar acts.

CLASS I SCHOOLS -- This debate, too, took an unexpected turn. After being stalled on the floor by extended debate, the bill to merge small Class I schools into larger districts finally advanced in the Nebraska Legislature. The move took place after a compromise, allowing lawmakers to offer amendments to lessen the impact on the Class I's. Still, it's doubtful the changes will satisfy Class I supporters, who are fighting to save their schools. In the McCook area, two schools -- Districts 8 and 41 -- would be directly affected, and supporters of the schools are working hard to see that they retain their independence.

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Yes, in this area there's always something to talk about. And you can bet there will be new topics next week, just as there were earlier this year when bleachers and college parking were the hot topics. The debates can be frustrating, and sometimes feelings are hurt. But the community discussion can also be a healthy exercise, serving as a daily forum for differing opinions and as a guide for community action.

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