ELECTION COVERAGE: Readers Share Their Opinions
Unless otherwise noted, columns on the editorial page reflect the opinions of the writers and do not necessarily reflect those of Karlovec Media Group, its newspapers or employees.
McMullen is Thoughtful, Hard-Working
Let’s build on Munson’s strengths!
Munson is facing new challenges which call for innovative ways to fund our needs and provide services our residents want. Irene McMullen has been one of Munson’s trustees since 2009. She is poised to help Munson enter an era of greater efficiency.
She began her work and service with the U.S. Navy Sea Systems Command, working on the AEGIS weapon system. She has also worked at the U.S. Department of Justice and a local bank.
In her “free” time, she is a leader in our church, and volunteer in and sponsor of local youth programs.
There is much work left to do in and for Munson, so Irene decided to run for re-election in November. I wholeheartedly support her devotion to our community. She will use her energy and skills to ensure that Munson remains a friendly and cost-effective place to live.
Irene has served Munson’s citizens very well. Under her leadership, Munson’s limited government has found creative solutions to funding what our community needs without reaching further into the pockets of our residents or relying on the State. For example, she led the successful preservation of 60 acres of farmland, as concluded recently, with no reduction in tax revenue to the Township.
During her tenure, the Township Fire Department acquired a firetruck with a platform that can be used for rescues and safer maneuvers, and the Road Department continues to repave and maintain our roads in a quality, cost-efficient manner.
The parks have been improved, paid for in part by corporate and private donations, and the baseball facilities used by our youth and Chardon Schools got new batting cages and dugouts.
Munson’s recent raingarden addition is an example of Irene encouraging many groups to cooperate for the benefit of our whole community. Overseeing private grants from the Bingham Foundation and Geauga County Master Gardeners, Irene worked with the Chardon High School Baseball Team, Master Gardeners and Munson Elementary School to build the raingarden. The garden solved a drainage problem at the Township Park. Munson Elementary students created decorative poles, birdhouses, and stepping stones for the garden and High School students planted flowers.
This type of collaboration, funded privately and made a reality with contributions from all corners of our community, separates Munson from less cooperative places.
Others who have gotten to know Irene appreciate that she is exactly the kind of person we want to be our Trustee — a thoughtful, hard-working individual who listens carefully to all and acts in the best interest of the whole community.
I sincerely encourage you to support and vote for Irene McMullen so she can continue to support Munson!
Dan McMullen
Munson Township
Get Smart, Get Informed, YES on Issue 21
The Chardon area, OUR community, will have a unique opportunity this November, something that hasn’t been presented in over a generation, for something that hasn’t happened in three generations: An opportunity to approve a bond issue and build a new school.
Like our very old school, it would be designed to provide an education to students for years to come in an economical way. The plan is to construct a building to house, what in effect is, two schools (grades 6-8 & 9-12). They would be connected by common facilities like cafeteria, auditorium, gyms, which makes incredible sense. Consolidation in education is the trend seen all over the nation and is being done in Northeast Ohio, too.
Educational effectiveness and operational efficiencies are the driving forces behind our plan, and that’s why it makes so much sense. The Ohio Facilities Commission has determined renovation would cost over 2/3 the cost of a new building — and you’re left with a 70-year-old building. Continuing to patch and repair “quancient” facilities is inefficient, costly and diverts resources that could be better used elsewhere.
The current high school has been cobbled together over decades (20+ different roof elevations). The original structure was first used as an elementary school 67 years ago for grades 4-6 due to the baby boom. Additions expanded for the current high school to include a wing that in the blue prints called for classrooms of 35-40 students to study sewing, homemaking, cooking, stenography, general science, physics, chemistry, and arts and crafts.
Class enrollments of that size and subjects like some of those are unheard of now. Education today, like so many things, is incredibly different. It’s been 42 years since the last addition to CHS. It’s simply time to move forward.
Today’s bond issue plan uses land already owned by the school district. The plan provides for building the new school next to the old and avoids costly trailers (for years) and puts what would be “rent” into the building so badly needed. Cost containment and efficiency are the underpinnings of the bond issue. The plan simply makes sense.
Chardon supported “new” buildings back in the late 40’s and early 50’s with “yes” votes of over 78 percent. The previous high school on the square north of 1938 auditorium was only 40 years old then. This community believed in education, looked forward, and stepped forward. It continued to do so into the 70’s. No building construction has been done since — over 40 years! The time is right to step forward again.
The time is right to make a statement, plan for the future, and bring our community up to standards in education that neighboring districts have attained in recent years. We are being left behind and the time is right to stop that trend. Our grandparents and parents did it for us. We need to have the courage and conviction to do the same.
The Citizens 4 Chardon Schools and the School District have comprehensive information about the bond issue, the plan, ways to participate and contribute. Please take the opportunity to get informed. There are many ways to learn the details. You can even tour the old high school. Get informed! Get smart! Get involved for our community, for our Chardon LOCAL Schools and, more importantly, for our students of today and decades to come.
Please vote YES for Issue 21.
Go Hilltoppers!
Dave Jevnikar
Chardon
Voting NO on Issue 21
I am writing regarding Issue 21, the 5.3-mill bond issue for Chardon Schools.
I live in a small home and pay at least a month’s salary for my property taxes. The new levy is cost prohibitive.
The district closed two schools last year and had determined the school population is decreasing significantly. Does this even make sense?
Having traveled to Finland in the recent past, I visited my grandmother’s school (still in use), which she attended in the 1890s. Why do I bring this up? Finland is the #1 ranked school system in the world! It seems to me that WHAT is taught and WHO is teaching are vastly more important than a NEW campus!
For these reasons, I will not be voting for Issue 21.
Molly Nikkila
Chardon
