Will vote no

Dear Editor,

The ink was not even dry in the Gazette about "Larry Weaver's" word of the North Ward School as "fabulous" and the building not to be torn down.

The very next day, the Gazette was full for a new school. That has been going on ever since. Some of the reasons are so unrealistic, it makes a person think a big No.

This is about the third year of use of the two new modulars north of North Ward at a cost of $22,000 each, as published in the Gazette at that time, which didn't include grading, painting, skirting, hook ups, telephones, gas and electric.

These are good buildings with gable shingled roofs, ready to be scrapped? Also, a third modular on the southwest corner of North Ward. We have $66,000 in these three modulars, which will be a big waste. That is just the beginning. After a new $5 million, $800 thousand new school is built, we will be told that North Ward is no longer needed. That is something else we are not being told of that expense, to tear it down.

Something else we are not being told, when East Ward is closed, the cost for busses and drivers to bring the students to North Ward. This busing will last forever.

Let's get our priorities taken care of first. Our water!

We have to build a water treatment plant, regardless of where we get the water. Also, our sewage treatment plant is in trouble as it sounds, like we will be penalized big money for poor outdated treatment. Hope not! We are paying for the mistake (Air Base) and an old city bond, plus we need a jail, which will save money in the long run. They want to relocate the trash transfer station. No reason given.

The school building's deteriorated? Poor maintenance? According to property tax increases, our buildings are getting better with age.

Good common sense will tell us to vote "no" on a new school. We should not go into more debt, as we have too many obligations to meet at this time.

Very surely, the equipment and teaching methods have been updated to meet the times; please remember, new schools do not teach. The teachers do the teaching.

Common sense will vote No for a new school at this time.

Ed Hlavinka

McCook

EDITOR'S NOTE -- The proposed bond issue includes North Ward as an integral part of the single elementary site. There are no plans to institute busing to the proposed single elementary site. Because of the lack of time to respond, no further election-related Open Forum letters will be printed before the vote.