School bond issue

It is SO GOOD to see people conversing about the upcoming school bond issue!  Whether your opinion is to vote "yes" or to vote "no", it is important that everyone speak out, not necessarily to change someone else's mind but to help get all of the facts and options out into the public mind. This was a problem with the vote on the added fee to utilities to pay for ambulance service.  Many people who voted "yes" didn't really know what that added fee would cover, or what service we were really going to get for the added fee.  They only knew that if they didn't vote "yes"  they wouldn't have any ambulance service. Now there are questions as to the details of what they are getting for that added fee.      

As with a lot of issues, the people who are directly affected by a problem are ready to vote "yes" for the proposed solution without further thought or discussion.  It is appalling that our schools don't have HOT WATER in the restrooms.  Our teachers, principals, and parents of children in schools are and should be up in arms about the condition of Watonga's schools.  But this has been going on for years and nothing has been done about it until now, when it has become a major problem.  At this point the problems with our schools have become a problem for our entire community, and at a huge cost to all of us. 

Our children's education is of the upmost importance to the survival of our community.  We all agree on that.  But we also have to be willing to look at what all of our options are for improvement of Watonga schools.  Is a huge bond issue like the one proposed really necessary, all at once, or could the repairs be prioritized and paid for in stages?  Committees reviewed the problems and presented their proposals to our superintendent and school board, but how many community members (without children in the school system) were a part of the discussion and gave input into the bond issue?  Did you attend school board meetings and participate in the discussion before the bond issue was approved by the school board?   It's not too late for everyone to have a say in the matter.  Talk to your school board members.  and VOTE!