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Letters to the Editor Policy

“Free” Tuition?

Will free tuition for out-of-district students also be free for the Elk Lake taxpayers? The Elk Lake School Board passed a resolution at their March meeting to cover all out-of-district tuition costs for district employees who wish to have their children enrolled in the district. The New Age Examiner also stated that cost of tuition for an elementary student is $7,000 per year and $8,000 for high school students. Over a 13-year period, this would amount to approximately $100,000 of lost reimbursement, per student.

Mr. Sible and Mr. Place tried to assure me that this is not going to cost the local taxpayers anything, or at most a minimal amount as the teachers, textbooks and computers are already in place and that the district can assimilate the anticipated students without any more incurred expenses. I hope the state doesn't adopt this type of thinking. They might decide after 20 children per class, we can educate the next four or five without additional reimbursement.

On the plus side, Mr. Sible felt there would be more adult supervision at after-school activities from these parents without cost to the district. Absenteeism due to sick children will be on the decline. (What, they will bring their sick kids to school with them?) Another plus cited by the school board is the added incentive for quality employees to remain in the district. I wonder what perk is being offered to employees who have no school-age children. Seems like this offer is going only to a select few. Does the local bargaining unit condone this practice?

As a local taxpayer, my tax bill reflects the high cost of education. If this is divided evenly among the number of students attending, I think we would arrive at a fair cost of educating each student. Local taxpayers are going to be expected to pay more for out-of-district students than for local students, as no state reimbursement will be forthcoming for the out-of-district students.

I see this resolution as irresponsible, since there is no way to predict the number of out-of-district students in the next five or ten years as the staff changes in composition. The board has voted for something that has an unlimited price-tag. In a time of recession, this was a very generous act on their behalf. To willfully take on additional, unknown expenses is perplexing to me. This unrecovered tuition could help decrease the onus on the local taxpayer, or possibly keep other worthwhile student programs in effect.

Responsible parenting should dictate that people purchase or rent homes in a district that meets the needs of their children. I don't think anyone will quit their job if their child is not allowed to attend Elk Lake, tuition-free.

Sincerely,

Alida Priestner

Meshoppen, PA

Hear The Truth

Allow me to introduce myself, I am “the woman on Sutton Road” that C. Allen has appointed “judge and Jury,” and incompetent to recognize when a road has been affected by more than frost heave, such as 50 tri-axle trucks. I have been asked a question: “Who does she thinks she is?” Well, C. Allen, I am a citizen and taxpayer of New Milford Township, residing in Susquehanna County of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania in the United States of America, and I know my Constitutional rights, and they are the same as yours.

An invitation has been issued by C. Allen to attend New Milford Township meetings. Yes, please come to the township meetings. Hear for yourselves how C. Allen exercises her Constitutional rights while others have the floor to speak and the Township Supervisors must ask her to be quiet. Hear for yourselves how I attempted to thank the supervisors for the work done on Sutton Road, but was interrupted by C. Allen repeatedly. Hear for yourselves the concern I expressed about the ability of emergency vehicles to use Sutton Road prior to the road being fixed. And finally, hear for yourselves the truth.

Responding to C. Allen will not become a regular feature in the local media. I believe I have clarified all that needs to be addressed, and I challenge the citizens of this county to rely on a different source for information than C. Allen. I wish to thank the staff reporter of the County Transcript for the accurate accounting of the events that occurred at the New Milford township meeting March 19. I will also take this opportunity to thank the township supervisors for repairing Sutton Road, since I was unable to do so at the meeting because of C. Allen exercising her Constitutional rights at the same time that I had been granted the time to speak by Mr. Hunter (and I was not the one to tell her to shut up).

Anyone confused? Concerned? The transcripts of that meeting are a matter of public record. Call the New Milford Township building, 465-3749. New Milford township meetings are every third Wednesday of the month, and begin at 7:30 p.m. Hope to see you there!

Sincerely,

Jaelynne Goff

New Milford, PA

They Let Us Down

Fuel prices are climbing again. The only good (if one could call it good) is, this time it is hitting all of us.

Frankly, I am ashamed to say that I, Pete Seman tried to have an ethanol or bio mass or bio diesel plant built in our county and surrounding counties or towns. Two years ago!

Most folks had no idea of what was happening behind the scenes, but everyone of authority (who could have made it happen) knew. They were told how. They were told who to get in touch with. They just turned their backs, made all kinds of excuses, or just said nothing at all to me until it was too late. No one told me until last fall. I was told nothing, meaning not a bio diesel plant or a methane landfill electric plant, just nothing was done. Calmly as a Judas, his words rang in my ears. Thank God for elections! I hope the young, first-time voters fill their vehicles on election day, before they vote.

I was truly mad. For once I truly believed in the system, and the system let all of us down.

Sincerely,

Pete Seman

Thompson, PA

Life In The Country

I’d like to give a response to the lady in New Milford that’s complaining about her dirt road.

Sorry, but I can’t sympathize with you. Your problem is not unique. You chose to live on a dirt road, adjust! Don’t give your supervisors a bad time over something they have no control of. Remember, their budget covers all, not just one.

The reality is, dirt roads are dusty in the summer and have ruts and muck in late winter and early spring.

I’ve been on a dirt road since 1968. It’s a State road, and believe it or not, the roads are taken care of better than they used to be. I remember one year when six cars had to be towed out of my road. Some people don’t know enough not to drive in the ruts.

It doesn’t take just stone trucks to make ruts. All one needs is a large school bus going up and down twice a day, a logging truck or an occasional farm truck, tractor or postal truck. All these vehicles have a right to use the road.

One can put tons of stone on the road, but until all the frost is out of the ground, it just gets swallowed up.

I’m sure your supervisors will address the problems once Mother Nature quits. I doubt you are the only one on the road. If you are, give it some time and if they don’t do something, then holler.

Meantime, do like I do. I get out my 4x4 truck, gun it, and try to avoid the ruts and holes. Makes for interesting driving.

If you can’t cope, move to a paved road. Then you can try to miss the potholes that never get filled in. At least, the ruts and holes go away for a while when the dirt road is graded once or twice a year.

Sincerely,

Nancy Kelly

South Gibson, PA

Be An Angel!

I need help. It seems to be a simple thing to ask, yet I would bet it is the hardest, for many people, to ask.

Most are very willing to do whatever they are able to do when asked, yet think it is a sign of weakness to be the one who needs help. I wonder how many folks do not give someone a chance to be an angel here on earth because of that fear.

I recently met a woman, who has since become a very dear friend of mine, who feels that in her life, she has been so blessed, that help is for those "who have it so bad." Her friend, Mary, is not afraid to ask for help for her, and so she came over to my office and asked for a donation for a benefit she wanted organized. Now, she was not really sure that this benefit is something that she wanted, because there are those who have it so bad. I am very happy that she changed her mind. This woman that I speak of, is Sandy. Sandy has a rare form of breast cancer. The name of it is, Inflammatory Breast Cancer. That particular form is also very aggressive and takes no prisoners. While there have been many breakthroughs in cancer research, not many folks have this type, so there are not a lot of options or treatment centers to go to. The most outrageous thing I have ever heard of, is that right here in PA there is a cancer treatment center, which has experience with this cancer type, and politely refused to help, as the state insurance program pays slow.

Jumping G! You lose your health package when you can't work. It is a blessing to have state insurance, as there are those who work, whose employers cannot afford to pay private insurance companies the large profit margins they want, and the legal professionals who encourage lawsuits. That is one tax I don't complain about. Back to the story.

I need help. I am asking everyone I know to "Please, help me help Sandy." This good woman has agreed to this benefit, which is to be held Saturday, April 12 at the Parkview Hotel, here in beautiful downtown New Milford. The festivities start at noon. We will be raffling a week’s of use of a backhoe, and many of our local businesses and individuals have been very generous in donating some really nice things (thank you, Thank you!) to raffle off. We will feed you, keep your thirst at bay, give you a game or two of chance and the opportunity to meet a woman of grace. If you want, you can bring a dish to pass. If you are not able to come, please, show your support in the form of a dollar, to the account that is set up in her name at the Peoples National Bank. Sandy believes that this treatment center will give her the chance of remission. We all know that faith and belief are very powerful. I need your help to get her to Philadelphia. I believe that God helps those that help themselves. Maybe if Sandy shows that she is helping herself, someone in the cancer center will be willing to be an Earth Angel.

I look forward to seeing all of you at the benefit, and will be delighted to introduce you to Sandy Ryder.

Sincerely,

Cynthia Allen

Summersville, PA


LETTERS TO THE EDITOR POLICY
Letters To The Editor MUST BE SIGNED. They MUST INCLUDE a phone number for "daytime" contact. Letters MUST BE CONFIRMED VERBALLY with the author, before printing. Letters should be as concise as possible, to keep both Readers' and Editors' interest alike. Your opinions are important to us, but you must follow these guidelines to help assure their publishing.

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