Moon Area school board President Mark Limbruner, ("Time for Moon to move on," Sept. 13), continued the sort of divisive politics that has frustrated Moon Area residents.
Instead of encouraging citizens to join together in a shared goal, he used the "discovery of toxic mold in the high school" to try to score political points and divide the community. Instead of building on common ground, he accused unnamed "factions within our community" of "pining" for "yet another Taj Mahal." With Mr. Limbruner and Ben Bonham, it's their way, or no way.
Moon Area citizens have a common problem: The secondary schools have deteriorated and are now in poor condition. Mold is not a recent discovery. The high school's antiquated ventilation system has been identified as the source of excessive humidity that is responsible for mold, as well as extensive damage to the ceiling tile suspension system and laminated wood case work.
As I warned more than a year ago, the current board majority has used up available building funds to the point there may no longer be enough money to build a middle school that will support existing educational programs and to make necessary renovations to the high school.
When the building projects were canceled, Mr. Bonham promised that he could renovate McCormick Elementary School for $6 million, renovate Hyde and Allard elementary schools for $5 million each, settle contractor claims for $6 million, and build a new middle school and renovate the high school for $49 million.
Since then, plans for renovating Hyde and Allard have been canceled, the budget for McCormick increased by 18 percent, and the estimate for the middle school and high school has increased to more than $67.2 million. And those costs do not include another $5.7 million in site and highway work.
If the board majority continues in its current direction, after all the building funds are spent, the problems with Moon's secondary schools will not be solved. The middle school will not support existing educational programs, and many of the deteriorating conditions in the high school will not be renovated.
Instead of arguing about which side had the better plan, let's work together on a plan that meets the district's educational needs and eliminates the hazardous and deteriorating conditions in our secondary schools.
MARK ULVEN
Moon
Public left out
I waited for more than a year to get some substantial information to show why the Monaca/Center school merger should take place. When I left the Sept. 24 meeting, I felt I had not been given information that could justify a merger at this time.
Probably the most significant item presented by the Department of Education team was that the taxpayers of Center Area would be splitting in excess of $1 million as the result of a 5-mill tax reduction (one mill equals $205,000) and the Monaca taxpayers would receive zero dollars.
I wasn't sure that I was in the United States of America after someone asked, "Are we going to get to voice our opinion on a referendum vote?" and Donald Boyer of the Department of Education answered, "It doesn't matter. The school board's decision will be final and it would be a waste of time."
Why have any meeting at all if that is the attitude?
None of the board members were elected on a platform whether they were for or against the merger, therefore, they represent the people and should honor some type a vote as a guide in making their decision.
In the state's presentation, they never mentioned anything about the Center Mercantile Tax for businesses that they will try to hang on the small businesses in Monaca. That could be a nail in the coffin for the small, sole proprietor in Monaca, who pays their own pensions and hospitalization bills.
The Monaca taxpayers will be the only one hurt when the next 5 mill tax increase occurs since Center taxpayers will just be back to where they were after their million dollar windfall.
I find it appalling that in the last year the public was not even privy to the side-by-side study of the district curriculums. Apparently the students of Monaca and Center are choosing the same subjects as there is hardly any difference in selections. We are told the main reason we must merge is so the students in Monaca in particular could have a better curriculum.
Center Superintendent Daniel Matsook announced that a vote on the merger could be taken at any time. I have talked to board members who have stated they don't have enough information at this time to vote with confidence. What's the rush?
The right thing to do at this point is for both boards to meet with their individual constituents and tell us their position about the merger. I urge all citizens in both districts to call your board members to arrange for meetings to get more information.
JOSEPH E. SMITH JR.
Center
First Published: October 4, 2007, 10:00 a.m.
