Letters to the Editor 09-15-2003
July 28, 2016 at 4:25 p.m.
By -
- Harwood Tribute - Tragedy - Warsaw Schools - School Closings - Voice Of Reason
Harwood Tribute
Editor, Times-Union:I'm an employee for the town of Syracuse, and 11 years ago, I was riding in our town vehicle working with Dick Harwood, and he had a massive heart attack and died.
A year later I noticed that he never had a headstone to mark his grave. So I began working on getting him one. He served in the Air Force, so I thought the government would furnish one for him, being a veteran and all. But nine years ago before he had died, a fire had consumed and destroyed a lot of the paperwork the government had. So then without his service dates, there wasn't much they could do for me, or for him on getting him a stone.
Dick Harwood was also a member of the American Legion and the Eagles for a long time. So I thought they would have a list of his service records or some kind of documentation on him. But neither organization kept very good records.
I then called Channel 16 WNDU and they really helped me out a lot with getting things done and keeping the ball rolling.
We tried to get ahold of his relatives, but that ended up fruitless because they never could be located.
Just recently a man by the name of Steve Butt was nice enough to donate a headstone for Dick Harwood. Then I contacted Mishler-Eastlund Funeral Home and they were very helpful as well. They worked with me and gave me a big break on the engraving of the headstone. So the guys at work all donated the money to get the job done for the engraving.
Some of them didn't know Dick but were more than happy to pitch in.
Next, a man named Dennis Spearman, who manages the graveyard where Dick was buried, had a footer poured for Dick's marker.
Now, to make a long story short, a great man who served his country in the Air Force, an outstanding member to not only to the community and the people he touched lives with and worked with, now has a headstone, and it's all because of the people who knew him, and some who didn't.
People who cared enough to follow this all through. So thanks to all who helped make this all possible. It just goes to show that in a small town, we all have great hearts and compassion for all in the community and come together when we are needed to get results that we hope would happen for ourselves if the same was to happen to us.
Mike Stoddard
Syracuse
via e-mail
Tragedy
Editor, Times-Union:First of all my heart goes out to the Sturgill, Feldman and Hinsdale families for the tragic accident on Ind. 13 on Tuesday afternoon that took the life of young Christopher Sturgill. I have thought in the past of speaking to our local police of the problem in the Crystal Flash/Ind. 13 concerning the area children playing in the road. There are several families of teenage to very young children that live in this area that have a regular game of dare with the cars and trucks that are on the road. They actually wait and run out or bicycle out in front of moving vehicles. I have no knowlege Christopher was one of these children, but I would like the families of the area to be aware of what your children are doing. There have been several times I have had to come to a complete stop to avoid a child. Most others that I have talked to have had the same problem in driving around the Crystal Flash /13/ 650N /Blaine Street area. I am sorry this child had to die, but please let it serve as a warning to the parents of the local kids to wake up and watch your children. Also, I urge the local police to step up patrol on these kids. There are much less dangerous games to play than chicken.
There are several adults in the area that are not any better than the children, running up and down Crystal Flash Road on illegal road vehicles. Let's stress safety, not destructive and illegal activity in this area.
Kama Strombeck
North Webster
via e-mail
Warsaw Schools
Editor, Times-Union:This letter is written in response to the Laura Wagner letter to the editor. You urge the public to please take time to look at the school Web site.
I would also suggest that the taxpayers get involved. The site's information is not only interesting but also very informative. Let's look at some numbers in the General Fund, for example. The cost to maintain the swimming pool is budgeted for $114,374. I believe that when the pool was installed people did not realize it would cost this much to maintain annually. While I endorse athletics, we must keep the costs in perspective.
Over the years we have continued to add expenses to the General Fund that are excessive. While we are contemplating the closure of three rural elementary schools, the majority of administrators will be getting raises next year, some as high as 10 percent. Even the business department is getting a 3.8 percent increase in pay to $94,573.00 - this is just one individual's salary.
We touched on the General Fund, let's move to the Transportation Fund. In last Saturday's Times-Union, Dr. McGuire was asked will there be additional cost for busing the rural students to Warsaw? Although he had no figures, he did say that the bus replacement line and the transportation line are separate funds and they are fine. "We will probably have to add a route or two." His statement is contrary to information provided on the Web site.
The Transportation Fund states that due to the loss of revenue from the state in 2004, there will be no increase in the operating budget and that expenditures will be very closely monitored and they may be forced to reduce services. What are we to believe?
I have looked to the WCS Web site many times, trying to find the alleged $300,000 dollar cost savings to justify the current proposal to close these three elementary schools, to no avail. Please join me for the WCS board meeting, today at 7 p.m. at Edgewood Middle School, if you are truly interested in the facts. Your presence, comments and questions will surely send a message to your ELECTED school board trustee.
Morris Jones
Silver Lake
via e-mail
School Closings
Editor, Times-Union:In the midst of all the hoopla concerning the closing of these schools, the poor attitudes of some board members and this reccurring $300K figure, I wonder if our good school board has considered what they will do (besides being voted off next fall) after we close these schools.
Will the old dilapidated buildings be torn down? Of course they will, otherwise we'd still have to maintain them, and at what cost? I'll bet the cost of demolition will be more than $300,000. What about the foster schools? Making the class sizes bigger is one thing, but won't you still have to cut teaching jobs? Or will we just have two teachers per class and two principals in three of the schools?
One thing that comes to my mind is wondering how we got to this point. I mean, when things get tight in our personal budgets, we normally cut spending. We don't go knocking down walls in our house and move the kids into Mom and Dad's room, or spend $92,000 on a new tool shed, do we? I'd sure hate to tell my kid that she will now be sleeping in the bathroom because I can't afford to heat her room, but with the money I'll be saving, I'll be able to build her a NEW room with a guest wing to boot.
You know, if the board (besides Ron and Gene) wants to close these schools, there isn't any amount of letters to the editor that will change their minds, but I would ask you to carefully consider the impact you will have on this community, both financially and socially, when you vote. Thanks to Ron Yeiter, Gene England, Becky Thomas and the other remonstrators for standing up for us. Someone has to.
Scott Wickens
Warsaw
via e-mail
Voice Of Reason
Editor, Times-Union:First, I would like to say to Laura Wagner, THANK YOU for being a voice of reason in this highly emotional debate. You were right on in statements about the different funds and about the state stepping in if a solution cannot be found.
I do not have children in the Warsaw Community School system, but I am a taxpayer in and graduate of the system. I fully understand those patrons that do not want their town schools closed and their children to be bused to other schools. I also understand, though, that a child's education is what a child and a family make it. And unfortunately, no matter what, in the end money will win out. If you can't make a school system financially sound, then do you have a quality school system at all? I do not believe that it makes sense to do nothing or to do something halfway right now. If it needs to be done, it needs to be done.
About 20 years ago, WCS needed a new high school. Taxpayers complained about the expense. The school board, against its better judgment for the future, gave in and instead built a school FOR ONE GRADE. Within three years, WCS was forced to build a whole new high school anyway. In my opinion, that was a wasteful decision. Please do not force them to repeat this.
I agree that children should not be forced into other schools, thereby overcrowding them. I think the original plan of a new Prairie Township school and a new school in the southern part of the county to house Claypool and Silver Lake students may be the best long-run option. Newer buildings last longer. Older buildings cost to remodel, repair and maintain now, and will only cost more in the future.
For everyone involved, let's think about the future and what is best down the road, not just right now. Please make an informed, intelligent decision about all the issues involved.
Deb Wulliman
Warsaw
via e-mail
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- Harwood Tribute - Tragedy - Warsaw Schools - School Closings - Voice Of Reason
Harwood Tribute
Editor, Times-Union:I'm an employee for the town of Syracuse, and 11 years ago, I was riding in our town vehicle working with Dick Harwood, and he had a massive heart attack and died.
A year later I noticed that he never had a headstone to mark his grave. So I began working on getting him one. He served in the Air Force, so I thought the government would furnish one for him, being a veteran and all. But nine years ago before he had died, a fire had consumed and destroyed a lot of the paperwork the government had. So then without his service dates, there wasn't much they could do for me, or for him on getting him a stone.
Dick Harwood was also a member of the American Legion and the Eagles for a long time. So I thought they would have a list of his service records or some kind of documentation on him. But neither organization kept very good records.
I then called Channel 16 WNDU and they really helped me out a lot with getting things done and keeping the ball rolling.
We tried to get ahold of his relatives, but that ended up fruitless because they never could be located.
Just recently a man by the name of Steve Butt was nice enough to donate a headstone for Dick Harwood. Then I contacted Mishler-Eastlund Funeral Home and they were very helpful as well. They worked with me and gave me a big break on the engraving of the headstone. So the guys at work all donated the money to get the job done for the engraving.
Some of them didn't know Dick but were more than happy to pitch in.
Next, a man named Dennis Spearman, who manages the graveyard where Dick was buried, had a footer poured for Dick's marker.
Now, to make a long story short, a great man who served his country in the Air Force, an outstanding member to not only to the community and the people he touched lives with and worked with, now has a headstone, and it's all because of the people who knew him, and some who didn't.
People who cared enough to follow this all through. So thanks to all who helped make this all possible. It just goes to show that in a small town, we all have great hearts and compassion for all in the community and come together when we are needed to get results that we hope would happen for ourselves if the same was to happen to us.
Mike Stoddard
Syracuse
via e-mail
Tragedy
Editor, Times-Union:First of all my heart goes out to the Sturgill, Feldman and Hinsdale families for the tragic accident on Ind. 13 on Tuesday afternoon that took the life of young Christopher Sturgill. I have thought in the past of speaking to our local police of the problem in the Crystal Flash/Ind. 13 concerning the area children playing in the road. There are several families of teenage to very young children that live in this area that have a regular game of dare with the cars and trucks that are on the road. They actually wait and run out or bicycle out in front of moving vehicles. I have no knowlege Christopher was one of these children, but I would like the families of the area to be aware of what your children are doing. There have been several times I have had to come to a complete stop to avoid a child. Most others that I have talked to have had the same problem in driving around the Crystal Flash /13/ 650N /Blaine Street area. I am sorry this child had to die, but please let it serve as a warning to the parents of the local kids to wake up and watch your children. Also, I urge the local police to step up patrol on these kids. There are much less dangerous games to play than chicken.
There are several adults in the area that are not any better than the children, running up and down Crystal Flash Road on illegal road vehicles. Let's stress safety, not destructive and illegal activity in this area.
Kama Strombeck
North Webster
via e-mail
Warsaw Schools
Editor, Times-Union:This letter is written in response to the Laura Wagner letter to the editor. You urge the public to please take time to look at the school Web site.
I would also suggest that the taxpayers get involved. The site's information is not only interesting but also very informative. Let's look at some numbers in the General Fund, for example. The cost to maintain the swimming pool is budgeted for $114,374. I believe that when the pool was installed people did not realize it would cost this much to maintain annually. While I endorse athletics, we must keep the costs in perspective.
Over the years we have continued to add expenses to the General Fund that are excessive. While we are contemplating the closure of three rural elementary schools, the majority of administrators will be getting raises next year, some as high as 10 percent. Even the business department is getting a 3.8 percent increase in pay to $94,573.00 - this is just one individual's salary.
We touched on the General Fund, let's move to the Transportation Fund. In last Saturday's Times-Union, Dr. McGuire was asked will there be additional cost for busing the rural students to Warsaw? Although he had no figures, he did say that the bus replacement line and the transportation line are separate funds and they are fine. "We will probably have to add a route or two." His statement is contrary to information provided on the Web site.
The Transportation Fund states that due to the loss of revenue from the state in 2004, there will be no increase in the operating budget and that expenditures will be very closely monitored and they may be forced to reduce services. What are we to believe?
I have looked to the WCS Web site many times, trying to find the alleged $300,000 dollar cost savings to justify the current proposal to close these three elementary schools, to no avail. Please join me for the WCS board meeting, today at 7 p.m. at Edgewood Middle School, if you are truly interested in the facts. Your presence, comments and questions will surely send a message to your ELECTED school board trustee.
Morris Jones
Silver Lake
via e-mail
School Closings
Editor, Times-Union:In the midst of all the hoopla concerning the closing of these schools, the poor attitudes of some board members and this reccurring $300K figure, I wonder if our good school board has considered what they will do (besides being voted off next fall) after we close these schools.
Will the old dilapidated buildings be torn down? Of course they will, otherwise we'd still have to maintain them, and at what cost? I'll bet the cost of demolition will be more than $300,000. What about the foster schools? Making the class sizes bigger is one thing, but won't you still have to cut teaching jobs? Or will we just have two teachers per class and two principals in three of the schools?
One thing that comes to my mind is wondering how we got to this point. I mean, when things get tight in our personal budgets, we normally cut spending. We don't go knocking down walls in our house and move the kids into Mom and Dad's room, or spend $92,000 on a new tool shed, do we? I'd sure hate to tell my kid that she will now be sleeping in the bathroom because I can't afford to heat her room, but with the money I'll be saving, I'll be able to build her a NEW room with a guest wing to boot.
You know, if the board (besides Ron and Gene) wants to close these schools, there isn't any amount of letters to the editor that will change their minds, but I would ask you to carefully consider the impact you will have on this community, both financially and socially, when you vote. Thanks to Ron Yeiter, Gene England, Becky Thomas and the other remonstrators for standing up for us. Someone has to.
Scott Wickens
Warsaw
via e-mail
Voice Of Reason
Editor, Times-Union:First, I would like to say to Laura Wagner, THANK YOU for being a voice of reason in this highly emotional debate. You were right on in statements about the different funds and about the state stepping in if a solution cannot be found.
I do not have children in the Warsaw Community School system, but I am a taxpayer in and graduate of the system. I fully understand those patrons that do not want their town schools closed and their children to be bused to other schools. I also understand, though, that a child's education is what a child and a family make it. And unfortunately, no matter what, in the end money will win out. If you can't make a school system financially sound, then do you have a quality school system at all? I do not believe that it makes sense to do nothing or to do something halfway right now. If it needs to be done, it needs to be done.
About 20 years ago, WCS needed a new high school. Taxpayers complained about the expense. The school board, against its better judgment for the future, gave in and instead built a school FOR ONE GRADE. Within three years, WCS was forced to build a whole new high school anyway. In my opinion, that was a wasteful decision. Please do not force them to repeat this.
I agree that children should not be forced into other schools, thereby overcrowding them. I think the original plan of a new Prairie Township school and a new school in the southern part of the county to house Claypool and Silver Lake students may be the best long-run option. Newer buildings last longer. Older buildings cost to remodel, repair and maintain now, and will only cost more in the future.
For everyone involved, let's think about the future and what is best down the road, not just right now. Please make an informed, intelligent decision about all the issues involved.
Deb Wulliman
Warsaw
via e-mail
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