WEST ELK VOTERS SAY A FIRM "NO" ON TUESDAY

[Wilma]

Just out of curiosity, how many of the people that are posting their opinions on this thread as to what the school district should do, pay taxes for USD 282?

[jerry wagner]

Great, stick your head in the ground.... all the programs help round the student out.... it isn't all about just having the core programs and if you want to make the parents pay for additional programs you are helping to create a second class of students.... those of the parents that cannot pay for the additional classes.

[Sarah]

Just out of curiosity, how many of the people that are posting their opinions on this thread as to what the school district should do, pay taxes for USD 282?

I do. 

[srkruzich]

I think there would be legal liability concerns if the public were to do some of the labor on the repairs of the roof or any other repairs that are necessary.

Oh jeeze. come on.  We can volenteer for habitat for humanity, we can volenteer to build a park in howard now your arguing Liability issues?? 

Certainly I will argue liability issues, and if you do not believe that they would come up then you are dreaming.  For example, in the past the Lions Club had offered to repair pot holes in the City of Howard and were refused because we would have to be covered by the City's insurance policy in case of accident and because of the liability created if we did not do the work properly.

Well you know what, they built schoolhouses for years and years with volenteer labor long before elk county became what it is.  Heck i'll even bet that the two elementary schools had volenteer labor preformed on it.

But if they so choose to not utilize the resources of this area, Not just the county but the area, the volenteers that would help, then so be it.  But you know don't complain when folks refuse to allow their taxes to go up.   As for me, the offer still stands, I'll help with labor.  I can swing a hammer, or wire up a panel, or any number of things.

[Patriot]

Just out of curiosity, how many of the people that are posting their opinions on this thread as to what the school district should do, pay taxes for USD 282?

I do. 

[srkruzich]

Well, then have them sign a waiver or something.  I don't think that the folks in Elk county (and again I could be way off here) are that "sue happy" that if they were volunteering to something like this, and got hurt, that they would sue the school or whatever.

Sorry but my head is not in any sand.  I raised my youngins and worked 2 jobs to give them what was a excellent education, their very well rounded without all those programs. Your arguing that football, basketball, softball and band and all those things make a student successful. Maybe the help.  But to ask the public to fund these programs is outside of education.  Their extra curricular activities. Not necessary for education.   Its play time at the taxpayers expense.   IF you took the money out of football, that alone could fund the elementary schools.


And then have the final product reviewed/certified by a bonded contractor prior to occupancy.

If they were willing.

Either way the repairs to the building do not address the over staffing for the size of the district that is necessary to run three campuses when only one is necessary.  You can repair (and waste money on those repairs) three buildings with cheap or volunteer labor all you want but that will not alleviate the situation whatsoever.  What people need to realize to a degree is that we are currently at MAX LOB, which means next year if the population of students declines and thus the budget received by the state declines so must the LOB since the maximum LOB is a percentage of the total funding, thus people will have to be eliminated to meet that reduced budget and that is where the problem will grow large and will result in eliminated programs and a quick reduction in the quality of education provided by USD 282.

At this point, perhaps the school district should just be dissolved and have the students go to the closest open enrollment schools and watch as the remaining families in Elk county disappear.

THey were going to eliminate at least 50% of the jobs anyway by consolidation.  Come on, you don't pay 2 kindergarten  teachers for one class.

Yes that is what they were going to do.... now they will be forced to do that as well as begin to eliminate additional programs when we do not offer that many to begin with.

well jerry its like this.  You get the core education covered. The basics.  IF you want sports, or band or extra curricular activities then do like i did with my kids,  I paid for them.   And no i wasn't a rich man.  I worked whatever it took to do it.  Just because you don't have band, or music or football, or any of these other programs doesn't mean you won't produce or have students that will excell. The programs don't make the students successful. The Students are successful because they see their future and choose to be successful despite the odds.

Great, stick your head in the ground.... all the programs help round the student out.... it isn't all about just having the core programs and if you want to make the parents pay for additional programs you are helping to create a second class of students.... those of the parents that cannot pay for the additional classes.

[srkruzich]

Just out of curiosity, how many of the people that are posting their opinions on this thread as to what the school district should do, pay taxes for USD 282?

I do. 

If i'm not mistaken we all do if we do business in elk county.  We also pay federal tax which goes to elk county.

[Cheyenne]

WOW!!! I was going to check out the politics section but I don't think I need to....PLENTY of politics right here. Seems to me what needs to happen is come up with another solution...I think Varmit had a good idea, however I do not live in Elk Co. or West Elk School districs...Just my unbiased oppinion.

[Lookatmeknow!!]

I pay taxes here!!!

[Patriot]

Just out of curiosity, how many of the people that are posting their opinions on this thread as to what the school district should do, pay taxes for USD 282?

While some additional weight should probably be given to the views of those who 'gotta pay the bills', I'm of the thought that good ideas and input from others outside the district are also a good thing.  Sometimes more heads are better than fewer.  No?