Letters to editor

but no thanks

The idea of a new school is great. But so are two cars in every driveway, Apple Pie and the American Dream.

The question is do I want to contribute 34 hours of my net pay for this? You should remember that the tax will be based on your gross pay but paid with your net.

My answer is I'm voting "No" on the issue. I'm sure this will be defeated and perhaps the board will listen to the voters this time when we say "No".

Thank you,

Art Maines,

Clyde

Auxiliary gym

needed

in district

To the editor,

As a lifetime resident of the Clyde and Green Springs communities, I am very excited about the Ohio Schools Facilities Commission's plan to provide new and renovated schools for our communities.

One of the renovations at the high school will be the construction of an auxiliary gymnasium. During my 22 years as the athletic director, I have seen the need for such an addition. Most of our conference schools and neighbors have the availability of a second gym.

The most obvious advantage of an auxiliary gym would be that we would not have students/athletes practicing until 9 p.m. many evenings. Often times it is the younger athletes that have the late practices. This also requires parents to make extra trips to the school to pick up their sons and daughters. On evenings when there may be a game in the main gym, other teams may practice during that time instead of waiting for the game to be completed.

There is a very real possibility that more physical education classes will be required in the future. We currently cannot offer more gym classes due to only having one facility.

Another advantage would be the ability to develop intramural programs than may take place during the lunch periods, early evening or on weekends. As our nation becomes more concerned with the health of our youth, such programs would help.

Since the state is willing to provide a majority of the cost for an auxiliary gym, now is the perfect time for us to get such a facility.

Bob Bishop

130 Warnecke Drive

Tax approval

would mean

safer buildings

To the editor,

As the March 2, 2008 election approaches we as citizens with ownership of the Clyde-Green Springs School District have a great opportunity. Two new school building and two expanded and revamped school building that will last for generations to come and all for less than the cost of replacing one building in the future. This will be a $54,000,000 project of which the State of Ohio will give us 66 percent of the money for the project. This money through the Ohio School Facilities Program which is not from tax money, but money from a court settlement with the tobacco companies.

May reasons for support are many, but I would ask you to support it for the safety of our children. When these buildings are built and expanded, the must and will have the latest in security for the safety of our children and the school staff. Ohio is not immune from school violence and assaults. Cleveland had one a few months ago. I know this is not Cleveland, but as I type this letter it is fresh on the news of an assault in a school that has only one building, a K-12, where a freshman stabbed three other students.

As I worked with my staff and Superintendent (Todd) Helms and his staff on a comprehensive school security and response plan it became very obvious that to secure the building to today's standards would have cost associated with it that would not be feasible to do. Also, because of the age of the buildings, in most case, in possible to do.

Here the State of Ohio is going to do this to all our buildings and pay 2/3 of the cost.

We have been working with the school at the student and bus pickup and parking areas at Vine Street School, McPherson Middle School and South Main Street School. We have had children hit by cars, darting out between vehicles into the street to be picked up and by the grace of God no one has been killed or injured severally. This project takes that very dangerous situation out of the picture and make the driving and bus areas away from each other and safe, and the State of Ohio Pays 66 percent of it.

This starts to come down to what it is worth to secure a school building? What is the safety of our children worth? What is having peace of mind that the most up to date security is in place protecting our children and grandchildren?

Then to have the State of Ohio pay 2/3 of the cost. My view of this project from a safety and security needs and assessment. When Vine Street School, McPherson Middle School and Green Springs Schools were built the worry was about weather and fire - not in a million years did they consider school shootings and terrorism. They were not built for large amounts of buses, cars and traffic (they walked to school), unlike today's buildings. Mostly they were not built for the large number of students we currently have.

So let's take advantage of this opportunity for our schools, our kids, grandkids and the future of a great set of communities with a fantastic school system. Let us take advantage of 66 percent from the Ohio School Facilities Program and build for the future. If we don't take advantage of this opportunity our neighbors will. Lakota did it, Gibsonburg did it, Seneca East did it; now Clyde and Green springs let's do it. Our time is now.

This is a one-time offer for the 66 percent of the cost.

Bruce Gower,

Chief of Police,

Clyde

Letter deadline

The Clyde Enterprise welcomes political letters from our readers.

Letters may be mailed to PO Box 29, Clyde OH 43410 or e-mailed to clydenews@bizwoh.rr.com.

Deadline for all letters pertaining to the March 4 primary is noon Friday, Feb. 15. Letters will be printed in the newspaper through Feb. 20.

The newspaper accepts letters generated by residents in the circulation area and local readers.

To be published, all letters must contain the complete name, address and telephone number of its writer. The writer's name and community will be published. The writer's telephone number is used for verification only. Letters should be 500 words or less and typed or printed neatly.

The newspaper reserves the right not to print any letter.