Hadley purchase isn’t best choice for Sharon
Terry L. Evans, Sharon
On June 10, Sharon School Board shared a document related to the purchase of the former Hadley Elementary School on Boyd Drive bordering Hermitage. The board is considering buying the building for $252,500; however, they are unsure about future plans for the property.
Why rush to purchase another aging school building? Does our board plan to renovate or rebuild on this property? We cannot afford speculative, unnecessary spending.
The Herald recently reported that several nearby districts are reorganizing buildings to a central campus-type plan to achieve efficiencies and reduce costs. A reorganization of our schools will not be an option for another 10 years because of outstanding bonds on Musser and West Hill schools.
Consolidating buildings may be something our district needs to consider in the future; let’s not take on any long-term financial commitments that will eliminate this option.
If we need to spend more than $20 million for a new school, building it near the Case Avenue school will keep a central campus with our middle/high School as an option in coming years. Let’s not be shortsighted about millions of dollars of debt.
School directors need to think long and hard about locating a school along our border with Hermitage, preventing us from potentially consolidating our schools. Many at the public meeting asked about Case Avenue renovations or a new building, but not a single resident spoke in favor of a new building on the Hadley property or any location other than the Case Avenue location.
Careful deliberation and public meetings will give the board the opportunity to adequately explain to Sharon residents its reasoning for and against the various options; we deserve to hear from the board well in advance of making significant investments. In the absence of such timely and full disclosure by the board, residents will remain skeptical and not provide the board the support it should earn before making major commitments of taxpayer dollars.
At the next public meeting at 7 p.m. July 8 in the high school auditorium, we can let our school board members know that we care about the future of our district.
Sharon should build new school on Case site
Dixie Vasconi, Sharon
Could have, would have, should have ... didn’t.
After carefully reviewing the separate findings of Eckles Architecture and RCI Architects regarding Case Avenue Elementary School, the reality of the building’s condition is frightening. The time to make a decision and act is now.
The structure is obviously not salvageable, nor is it marketable. If anyone feels the need to reminisce, please walk up Wengler Avenue and wax nostalgic in front of the former Wengler school eyesore that has plagued my neighborhood since 1983.
Fact: Rebuilding on the Case site makes sense due to its centralized location and presence on a shared campus with the high school, stadium, and Education Services Center.
Fact: The Case gymnasium — a separate wing built in 1950 — is a gem and should be saved and incorporated into the new building plan.
Fact: Even if a massive renovation of the Case building took place, new problems could be on the horizon in just a few years. The oversized and inefficient building would also continue to be a utility money pit.
Any building project will come with a price tag, most likely a large one. But it will never get any less expensive. Perhaps if corrective action had been taken 10 to 20 years ago, the building could have been saved, but that is the fault of prior school boards and administrators and squabbling about it now accomplishes nothing. It’s time to let go of the past, make a decision, and get moving.
Cheney works hard to cover up his real record
Robert W. McKay, Grove City
Upon reading and watching recent media reports, we see that Dick Cheney gives a parting shot to the new administration. As he and his colleagues used to say, “get over it.”
It seems Cheney has a lot to say now, but where was he when the mortgage crisis and economic meltdown were going on? He was busy counting the billions he and Halliburton stole from American taxpayers.
Cheney not only claims Obama has made us less safe, but that he and Bush saved thousands of American lives. According to Cheney, he’s a hero. A coward, master of deception, and the most corrupt politician in American history he is, a hero he is not.
Cheney duped the American public with lies and walked away with billions. Anyone who thinks for one second that Cheney cares about American lives is dead wrong.
Cheney strong-armed the CIA into lies creating the Iraq war. It doesn’t take rocket science to figure that as former CEO of Halliburton, Cheney owns a large part of the company.
As vice president, he got billions in contracts for them, then destroyed the evidence connecting him to it. Cheney traded human life for a fast buck.
Over 4,000 Americans have died in Iraq. I wonder if Cheney has visited just one of these fallen heroes’ families.
According to Cheney we don’t torture. We broke the Geneva Convention and the 1984 convention against torture. The torture tactics of Cheney have created more terrorists than any radical group could ever recruit. Russia tortured Afghans in the 80’s, but the more they tortured the stronger the resistance became. Yet Cheney insists such tactics work.
Before Cheney left office, Halliburton moved its headquarters to Dubai. What a convenient way to avoid both taxes and investigation.
With cunning deception Cheney has managed to hide his evil deeds. Someday he’ll answer to a higher power. He’ll not lie, cheat or buy his way past God. Knowing him, he’ll give it one hell of a try.
