Letters to the editor
Vote for new leadership
To the Editor:
It is your right to vote.
I grew up in Marion and was proud of our town. I came back to Marion in 1988 to retire and found a dying town. Voters this year have the opportunity to vote for a change in the way the city government is being run.
This year you have a choice. It isn't the same old rerun of candidates. The past and present representatives of the city council speak strong words of reform but there is none.
I have observed that qualifications for management and supervisory positions are minimal but the salaries are exorbitant or "guaranteed" for these positions. Poor management leads to stagnation and waste. These conditions in the private sector ruin a business. However in government, higher taxes pay for this waste. I think it is time for the city taxpayers to get their money's worth.
I witnessed the Kiwanis club build a walking trail in Central Park, adorned with memorial gas lamps to light the way. Look at it now. Only the ghosts remain with the gravestones lowly black posts with memorial plaques attached.
Now the city wants to use the abandoned railway bed for a walking and biking trail. What is wrong with this picture?
One of the native sons, an architect, drew up plans for a beautiful structure for the spring in Central Park. I don't know the reason, but this young man was out of the picture and the city ended up with a few boulders and some shrubbery for Mr. Brooker's money.
Marion had a piece of history in its hand — the Chingawassa rail car. After a squabble over its restoration, it was shipped off to another state — gone forever.
However, a two-screen theater is desired. Do some research. A theater this size cannot survive in the big cities. In Marion it soon would fold or be supported by — you guessed it — the taxpayer.
Marion has a hospital, Butler Community College outreach facility, good schools, and good baseball fields, to mention a few of the good things.
Change comes from the top. Don't let the City of Marion erode. Get out and vote for new government, leadership, and management.
Edward Davies
Marion
Bond is not the answer
To the Editor:
I'm concerned about the statement the Marion Board of Education made recently about what has been provided for the upgrading of facilities which has improved the academic side of education. Now it's time to add more modern facilities so the district can add additional opportunities to our academic and activities programs.
I've been around the educational process in Marion since 1965 through the late 1980s. It was a concern of our teachers that we maintain the proper amount of time in their schedules for the three "Rs." When I started in 1965, a teacher's day consisted of the following for five days each week: social studies, reading, math, science/health, and English were all 45-minute sections. Spelling was completed in 30 minutes each day which left 60 minutes each day to work in art, music, band, writing. Recess completed the day's timetable with an allotment of 45 minutes. Class size ranged from 28 pupils to a high of 35 pupils.
Title IX then was mandated and in order to comply we substituted physical education (P.E.) for some of the recess time. Academics was not hurt, so far, by this rescheduling. As you well know the mandates or clamor for more specialized classes was far from over. We added keyboard instruction, computer time, foreign language, formal art classes, we created a formal library instead of individual classroom libraries (this required transit time) and Title I classes for reading and math. Since there is a finite amount of class time for the basics these additions took class time away from the three "Rs." Did we enhance academics with all these programs and did we get our money's worth?
Let's look at the "opportunity" of an indoor swimming pool. If swimming is offered during the P.E. time slot we aren't losing "academic time," or are we? Logistics will have to be factored into the equation to see if we will lose academic time or merely have a shortened lesson during the normal P.E. segment to allow for the extra time required for the variable of logistics. Should an extracurricular swim team be formed you will need to consider the only other schools to have such facilities are the Wichita schools. You also will consider that not many years ago the district was looking to shelve the softball and baseball programs due to the lack of participation of our own students. Peabody has come to the rescue as of late for those two programs. We've combined with Hillsboro in the past in conjunction with wrestling. The issue is the number of students that we have that we are trying to pull into all of these activities. You can't just keep adding activities and expect quality results if the pool of students stays the same. Something has to give.
The prevailing thought about the sunset of the bond issue reminds me of the leasing mentality. When you lease a car you budget for so much expenditure and when the lease runs out you keep spending because you are used to that much (well actually, the next lease probably will be a little more and the insurance and taxes will be a little more — but it's just a little more). Don Kraus told it like it is — "No matter how you move the figures around, it will cost more out of taxpayers' pockets to meet the next year's school budget." The bond issue structuring also reminds me of the "pork barrel" tactics of our legislatures. I believe the building proposals could have been presented so the taxpayers might have their choice of gymnasium, swimming pool, theatre, or combinations of such.
You might think the only way to "empower" our students for the future is to spend money on new facilities, lower pupil/teacher ratios, and a host of other "new" methodologies. I would encourage you to take a look around you and take a stroll up and down Main Street, the city, county, and state departments, the courthouse and see who is in a supervisory position, who owns their own business. Count all of the other Marion graduates who are business owners and supervisors, but plying their trade in other locations. The number is astounding. All of these people I'm referring to are the same kids that we taught when there were 25+ kids in a classroom and they didn't have all of the "advantages" our kids of today supposedly have. I wonder how they accomplished so much. Perhaps our kids need to understand that when money is tight, sometimes you must do without. That in itself is a pretty valuable lesson as well.
Eugene Enos
Marion
All will benefit from new facilities
To The Editor:
The voters of USD 408 are about to make a most important decision for the future of the district and our community. This is, of course, the bond election to decide whether to upgrade and expand facilities which will serve all our citizens.
Two of the reasons such proposals often fail are they will raise taxes and there is no need for such improvements. In this instance, the school board, its staff, and city officials all agree these are some real and demonstrated needs, that taxes to provide these facilities will not increase, and such an opportunity as this will likely not present itself to the area again.
Whenever public improvements are considered, it is vital the plan be the right one, for whatever is done will be with us for a long, long time. This proposal, which addresses the educational, recreational, and social needs of all of us, in my opinion, is exactly what should be done. It deals with current facility problems and deficiencies — an outdated and inadequate public swimming facility that will need to be replaced soon under any circumstances, modern and upgraded physical education and athletic facilities that everyone can use, a community auditorium for school and public use, and all of these available year-around, 24/7 as public needs dictate. Schools should be used for much more than education and this proposal provides for that.
This entire area, including the county, the school district, and surrounding cities all will benefit from these improvements. Our children, youth, and senior citizens especially will find their lives enhanced by such facilities. This proposition is much more than a simple bond issue, it is a vote of confidence in the future of our community and area. Please join me in voting YES for this proposal April 4.
Don M. Jolley
Marion
Blood drive successful
To The Editor:
Thanks to all who made the recent American Red Cross blood drive a success.
Our apologies to those who waited longer than necessary in line. The entire process should take just an hour.
An apology was received the following day. Our goal has been increased to 80 units (it was 60). This will allow Red Cross to send additional staff and more beds next time.
Watch for a summertime date.
Janet Bryant and
Joni Crofoot, Co-chairmen
POLICY
about letters
Letters "To the Editor" must include the writer's address and phone numbers. No attachments, please.
Send a letter to the editor by e-mailing letters@marionrecord.com, faxing 620-382-2262, or by mail to: Letters to the Editor, Marion County Record, P.O. Box 278, Marion KS 66861.
