Messages

Ladies:
Do you have a gently used toaster you no longer need?  Some home decorating items you have stored for over a year and you would like to get rid of?  Maybe you have been given doubles of the same gift. Now is your chance to put them to good use.  Bring them to our first annual
COFFEE STOP & SHOP
(OTHER BEVERAGES SERVED TOO)
AT
MOLINE COMMUNITY FELLOWSHIP
126 N. MAIN
Moline
10:00-12:00

APRIL 17, 2010


It's easy:
1.   Bring gently used items to donate.
2.   Give us 20 minutes to organize while you enjoy refreshments.
3.   Each table is assigned a number.
4.   The numbers are drawn; each table goes in the order it was drawn and everyone gets a chance to choose their first item.
5.    Once each table has gone, everyone gets to shop until all the items are gone or everyone has picked up all they need.


ALL ITEMS REMAINING WILL BE DONATED TO GOODWILL.

COME AND SHOP- it's FREE!

Some suggested items:
•   Gently used small appliances
•   Gently used children and adult clothes (all must be washed before they are brought)
•   Gently used dishware (no cracks or chips please.)
•   Gently used cookware
•   Gently used home decorating items
•   Unopened and not expired baby food or formula

If you don't have anything to bring but you are looking for something in particular, come on it, you might find what you need.
       For more information call Dianne Boles 647-3207 or Linda Patteson 647-3352

My ramblings won't mean too much since I'm not a resident of Elk County anymore, but I think Liz's last point says a lot about my home county.  I don't know why we can't get together and be one County.  I used to think 90% of the County had intentions to make it the best it can be but the last vote on the school was the last straw that leads me down a different thought process.  Whether you thought it was a 5.5mln bond or a 3.5mln bond is just window dressing for the real reasons that it was voted down.   Face it the bottom line is Elk County as a whole does not want to change, there is no desire to move into the next century, and you know that's OK, the people have spoken.  Elections have consequences as we can see by electing a very liberal, socialistic President.  But that is what the electoral and populus of the US voted in.  This is the same in Elk County.  We are going to get health care, large bailouts, and carbon taxation all shoved down our throats because those are the people we voted into office.  On the same hand, Elk County is going to stay in isolation from the rest of the world, keep losing population, keep losing main street business, and foremost with this election lose a once very good academic school system.  But, that is what they always vote for and deep down that is what most of the residents want.  This mentality started a long time ago, maybe 30 to 40 years ago.  I can remember while growing up that various industries tried to come into the County but the mentality was, WE DONT' NEED THEM, THEY'LL USE TOO MUCH OF OUR WATER, IT MIGHT KILL OUR CATTLE INDUSTRY, ETC.  My humble advice to those age 40 years and less, consider your opportunities given this mentality and then compare the pros and cons of living somewhere else.  Elk County has very good, hard-working people in it but they want to stay in the 1950's and that's OK, hopefully there is enough money to be made from cattle ranching and rich people hunting!!


WOW! Very well said.

LadyD, my ballot said that the vote was whether or not to accept a bond to construct a new school at Howard, it did not say any of that other stuff. I too have heard all these threats from several people, but those issues were not on the ballot were they?

I Know it must be confusing to some that dont attend the information meetings and board meeting and SPECIAL board meetings.  There has been several things discussed and for several years.  The construction of a new building was the last issue at hand.  The one before that was being at one central location as we have to close both schools because of the lack of funding and high cost of mantenance of both buildings. Informed Voters understood if you voted yes, we would be building a new building, and voting no meant we wouldnt spend 5.5 million on a new building, but put pods, trailers or what ever at the high school.  If they wanted to know if you wanted to centralize our district they would have used that question on the ballot. 

Wow, not a great turn out at the polls yesterday.  Out of 1728 Registered District 282 voters only 949 voted?  It was commented that it was a good number.  I don't agree. 
I believe that the "NO" voters think they have saved their buildings from being shut down.  A "NO" vote was NOT going to stop the closing of the schools. I think they believe they saved their taxes from increasing.  Taxes will increase regardless if there is a new school or not. I think they believe they saved the elementary school from being placed in Howard.  It was going to determine if we built a nice looking updated facility or sat pods on the existing campus. It is impossible to continue to maintain the 3 separate campuses.  The issue was at one time what to do with the buildings.  How to fix them, which one to fix and maintain.  We have far gone beyond that topic.  The issue at hand was to build a new school at Howard which is centrally located or not.  If we were not building a new facility we go on with option B, place pods or trailers at the high school location. 
Well, "NO" voters, you have been heard.  Thank you.  We will now move on with Plan B.  It should be an adventure moving from one trailer to another for computer classes, library, to eat in a cafeteria, and to use the high school gym occupied by Jr. High & high School kids.  I also understand that some of the students may be placed in the high school.

Now let's address those that didn't vote.  I am sure there were people who were sick or gone for various reasons that could not help not being at the polls.  I am not addressing them. I am addressing the ones who have no excuse or those that say, "It doesn't matter one way or another, so I'm not voting."  Well, by not voting you are making a decision to allow others to make a decision for you.  And I doubt truly if the issue was brought up if you would keep quiet.  You have an opinion; you just chose not to put it in the form as a vote.  I won't even get on a tangent about the right we have to vote and it being our obligation as well as a gift. 

Wow, not a great turn out at the polls yesterday.  Out of 1728 Registered District 282 voters only 949 voted?  It was commented that it was a good number.  I don't agree. 
I believe that the "NO" voters think they have saved their buildings from being shut down.  A "NO" vote was NOT going to stop the closing of the schools. I think they believe they saved their taxes from increasing.  Taxes will increase regardless if there is a new school or not. I think they believe they saved the elementary school from being placed in Howard.  It was going to determine if we built a nice looking updated facility or sat pods on the existing campus. It is impossible to continue to maintain the 3 separate campuses.  The issue was at one time what to do with the buildings.  How to fix them, which one to fix and maintain.  We have far gone beyond that topic.  The issue at hand was to build a new school at Howard which is centrally located or not.  If we were not building a new facility we go on with option B, place pods or trailers at the high school location. 
The "NO" votes have now made it possible to place trailers at the West Elk Campus, instead of the new building. We will now move on with Plan B.  It should be an adventure moving from one trailer to another for computer classes, library, to eat in a cafeteria, and to use the high school gym occupied by Jr. High & high School kids.
Well, "NO" voters, you have been heard.  Thank you.
Now let's address those that didn't vote.  I am sure there were people who were sick or gone for various reasons that could not help not being at the polls.  I am not addressing them. I am addressing the ones who have no excuse or those that say, "It doesn't matter one way or another, so I'm not voting."  Well, by not voting you are making a decision to allow others to make a decision for you.  And I doubt truly if the issue was brought up if you would keep quiet.  You have an opinion; you just chose not to put it in the form as a vote.  I won't even get on a tangent about the right we have to vote and it being our obligation as well as a gift. 

It seems to me that you are very concerned with the changes that may take place. However, I wonder if your concern comes from a fear of the unknown, the fear from listening to your friends who do not do well with change, or just FEAR.  Matthew 6:27 says do not worry as it will not add a single how to your life. (paraphrased)

Just give it to God. 

I have read some of your blogs and I am afraid that some things you have stated are not true.  I am not sure where you have gotten your information.  I would like to suggest you set up a time to visit the elementary schools while they are in sessions, look at the cramped classrooms, ( They could NOT house all the 210 Elementary students, let alone the whole district.) look at the out dated electrical. (as they ARE NOT set up for the modern technology... but they do very well for what they have.)