All the brouhaha on the renewal of the School Levy in November brings to mind a similar scam that was pulled on us a few years back by the Wood County Library System.
The head of the P'burg Board, than one Mr. Raitz addressed Council at that time and asked for the support of the Vienna Council for the upcoming Levy. It was for the new Library in South P'burg and the ADA Elevator on Emerson St. But what were the first words out of his mouth? "We have not had a raise in three years". He had immediately defined what was the number 1 priority for the new Levy. Since than, it has run its initial time frame with all of the above achieved. So what then happens, when up for renewal, it was now that the Levy was needed to maintain the Library Facilities. It has also ended up as a perpetual source of funds for raises, benefits and new hires as wanted without oversight.
What doe this have to do with the new School Levy in November you ask? Well, the issues with the current expiring Levy seem to be completed as well. So what now is the need for the renewal of this Levy and going into perpetuity also?
We need because of the recent issue at Jackson Middle School to hire more SRO's for the Schools says Mr. Hosaflook. The safety of our children is now job one right behind ??????????? or maybe even at the top of the list? The monies that are being freed up from the current expiration Levy need to be very carefully reviewed for what is intended versus what is needed?
It has come to me over the past few weeks from people who are in the know that Schools are again coming up to be closed as should have been done when we got scammed for the $41 Million dollar one ongoing now. I seem to remember that Waverly, Worthington, Edison and Neale were mentioned as most likely and would not rule out more and of course the above being switched with others as the Politics versus the Economics kick in?
I noted the earlier plan to combine Greenmont and Neale at the Vienna School Site. It was said to me that a problem was finding land for a new School? I said the BOE already has the land at Vienna site, just need to plan it properly? But notice the new roofs still going on all over the District while talking closures. The BOE has in the past wasted a lot of money and Political Capital on Politics versus what they are supposed to be there for- the Children.
So with those options on the table for cost reductions, there should be funds for new SRO's without a new Levy? School Board needs to step up and out with some Truth BEFORE that Levy hits the Ballot for Votes.
Speaking of the SRO's and most especially the young lad at Jackson Middle who got all those accolades for his fast thinking and action a few months back. The thought struck me that what if it had not been an angry kid fighting with a girlfriend who had issued the false threat?
What if a group had instead put out the alarm to get all those Officer's and Resources down into that fish bowl with limited egress while actually planning some terrible thing at another location? Possibly not even a 1- 8 School but a high school or even the WVU-P in P'burg? Or even the local Hospital? All are also soft targets as is the whole area?
I know it probably can not be answered, but does our local Law Enforcement from the State Police Detachment down to the local City have a contingency plan to have other officers are on an elevated state of alert to be able to respond to another location if needed?
It doesn't have to be half the Officers in the area, just two or three might stave off a disaster?
Maybe, I am just too suspicious of the bad guys and how close they probably are to us as I write this? We are target soft and they are murder/ mayhem strong. 'ne'er nuff said'.