Commission to show town’s ‘open arms,’ ‘caring heart’
To the editor:
I support the Human Rights Commission ordinance not only to show our small town has open arms and a caring heart, but because our prosperity depends on its many visitors.
How better to demonstrate our desire of fair treatment to all than to create a local contact point for concerns? A Human Rights Commission ordinance would also go a long way in presenting Nashville as a progressive town that values accountability for those that cross the line of discrimination. Every law-abiding citizen living in or visiting Nashville deserves respect and fair treatment. The ordinance would codify that ideal and bring us one step closer to its reality.
Tom Schroeder, Nashville
Referendum needed to support future of schools
To the editor:
Another school year has gone, a new one has started. It is wonderful to see all the staff back in their buildings and the students ready to start the next chapter of their lives.
I especially want to note Barb Kelp and her students who are learning and continue to learn life skills when the coffee cart was started last year and will continue this year. I was honored to be invited to the end of year awards for this group and to talk with them and their families.
I am very passionate about education of all types and what it can do for your life on your journey. Our students need the best opportunities to discover their goals and objectives with the skills needed for the next chapter and future of their lives.
In order to do that, we need to retain and recruit excellent staff, facilities and transportation staff. The tuition money per student that is paid by the state from our taxes does not fully fund Brown County School Corporation wages and benefits. The legislators have mandated a minimum pay of $40,000 for teachers to which I do not disagree with.
But like a fair amount of mandates from government, they are either not funded or under funded by the state. Because of where Brown County sits between Columbus and Bloomington with Johnson County to the north — and because we are a rural school and county — we cannot fully match these communities in staff pay.
We are asking you to “Vote Yes” on the upcoming referendum to support our staff and schools. Let me share some information and what that means to taxpayers.
We currently pay 8 cents per $100 per decreased value of our property. We are asking to continue that 8 cents with an added 4 cents for a total of 12 cents per $100. According to my math that would mean I would be paying an additional $3.22 per month on my $200,000 assessed valued property. That is less than a McDonald’s meal per month.
And what will that continued referendum levy do for us? It will continue the Career Resource Center — for adult and student education — which has produced people with career skills as electricians, certified medical assistants, certified nursing assistants along with their high schools diplomas and more.
It will continue to give support to families in education opportunities to better their lives and career advancements. It will help support families with the preschool center to allow children to get a good start in life. It will support the future of our Brown County residents in learning skills that they are looking for.
Please do not be confused by the actual referendum questions on the ballot. Due to, once again, legislators’ actions, they changed the wording on the referendum questions to a percentage (%), which makes it appear that the tax levy would go up immensely — 33% plus. As I already demonstrated — it would keep the 8 cents going with an added 4 cents along with what is currently being paid.
You will be able to check how this will affect you with the use of the calculator on the Brown County Schools website. There will be multiple resources available for you in order the help you understand what this means to you.
Please continue to support our Eagle Manufacturing, career and technical education, our new Early Childhood Center, science teachers in every building with courses in science, math, technology and engineering, the new Business Entrepreneurship program along with upcoming programs in hospitality, tourism and civic arts.
We are asking for your support of our students, staff and schools for our future. Thank you for listening and we are Brown County.
Carol Bowden, president, Brown County School Board of Trustees
Writer: ‘Deep state is alive and well’
To the editor:
I don’t know that much about the “Deep State.” I understand it is the control of our country by devious means and organizations. It is a conspiracy theory that is intended to generate fear and suspicion of our government and country.
I really did not believe it was anything worth thinking about, but all of sudden I realize it is alive and well. It is one of those things that is well organized and preys on susceptible people in the country it is attacking.
Why is it alive and well? Just look at our country. Many Americans are very fearful of government control of our guns, our bodies, our education and so on. They have us believing that elections are stolen, that the FBI is corrupt. They have created dissension within families. Need I go on. Isn’t that the goal of the “Deep State”?
Realizing this, what do we (I) do to counter that force? It doesn’t work to show what the real truth is. Like the fact, from personal experience, that the election process is 99% accurate and trustworthy. So what do you do? How about going back to the basics. Talk to people and be civil and tell them that we are all good people. We need to keep talking in hopes that our relationships can outweigh the fear that is being generated by the “Deep State.”
All my friends of all persuasions are good decent, friendly people that would come to almost anyone’s aid if they are stranded or need help of some kind. Is this enough to overcome the power of the paranoia that the “Deep State” generates? I hope so because I love this country and my fellow countryman and believe that I can cope with the negative influences on us.
Bill Todd, Nashville
Thanks from retired nurse practitioner
To the editor:
Friends and patients, I want to thank all of you who were my patients during my tenure at IUH Nashville, for the outpouring of love and friendship that you showed to me upon my retirement from practice.
To those who gave wonderful cards and gifts, I thank you. I failed to realize until too late that I would not be able to access addresses to send individual cards. But the candy was delicious, the candles have been sweetly scenting my home, the books are in progress, the beautiful handcrafted as well as vintage items have been admired and have places in my home.
It was a privilege to be a partner and guide in your health care journey. I wish all of you the very best, and to those we have lost, you will never be forgotten.
Warmest Regards,
Dee Swanson DNP, FNP
Complaints to commission should not be confidential
To the editor:
On establishing a Human Rights Commission in Brown County: What is documented between appointees and a complainant ought not be kept confidential. This body, should it be approved, cannot be considered a sort of medical commission that is bound by law to protect the health of a patient, whomever would appear before this body is a person with a complaint, not a sick person.
This argument is also predicated on the notion that if government would sponsor any commission that commission’s activities must be transparent in order to make sound decisions, and moreover, on the notion that people have a right to know what is going on in their community, which is simply impossible if intake forms remain hidden as well as associations with incredibly disorganized civil liberty unions.
John Douglas, Nashville
Send letters to [email protected] by noon Thursday before the date of intended publication (noon Wednesday on holiday weeks). Letters are the opinions of the writer. Letters must be signed by the author and include the writer’s town of residence and a contact number in case of questions. Only one letter every two weeks, per writer, to allow for diversity of voices in the opinions section. Please be considerate of sharing space with other letter-writers and keep your comments concise and to the point. Avoid name-calling, accusations of criminal activity and second- and third-hand statements of “fact.”
