School's fiscal responsibility remains sound
To the Editor:
I have not responded in the past to letters in the paper about school issues, but the latest letter with concerns about mailing the annual school calendar questions our fiscal responsibility.
We are required by state statute to provide annual notices to our community about services and regulations including special education, homeless students, emergency information, etc. Calendars are mailed at bulk rate, which cost the school district 8 cents apiece, or $328.22 total to mail to the complete community this year.
We have cut $495,000 out of our budget this past year and, as Ms. Walling points out, budgets are getting tighter every day.
We have enjoyed great support from the community in the past and hope that it will continue by the District being as frugal as possible with the funds given to our schools.
Thank you for your continuous support.
Mark Heid
Goldendale Schools Superintendent
Acknowledging an act of kindness
To the Editor:
A few weeks ago I had an issue with my septic system that needed immediate attention. I exhausted every idea I came up with and still had no solution, and to make matters worse, it was during our heat wave. I decided after many other phone calls to other people that I would call Ken O'Leary of O'Leary and Sons of Goldendale.
He and his crew put in our septic system when we had our new house built four years ago. At that time, he and his son were kind, considerate, and very professional. I could not have been happier with them and the job they did for me. I called Ken, explained my problem, and asked for advice. This was a very hot day and he came to my home right away, helping me on my feet with a lot of discomfort due to a health problem. He never charged me for all his time helping me. He was kind, helpful, and considerate. We need to hear more stories of people like Ken O'Leary.
We take the time to complain, but do we take the same time to acknowledge an act of kindness?
James Sweeny
Goldendale
Responsible health care
To the Editor:
I am a 17-year-old high school senior, and I've recently returned from a medical mission trip to the island countries of Samoa. In Pago Pago, American Samoa, corruption in the medical industry is rampant to the degree that only five percent of the islanders can afford health care. That is wrong.
I believe in health care-health care with integrity.
However, ObamaCare is not the answer. After careful thought and research, it is my conclusion that the current health care proposal will fail in providing health care with integrity. In an effort to maximize efficiency and cut costs, our government will become heartless towards the weakest in our society. People such as seriously ill patients, the elderly, and the unborn will be overlooked and discarded in this new system.
Furthermore, the government will mandate that individuals, namely the elderly and seriously ill, receive end-of-life counseling. Efficiency and frugality should never be considered more important than protecting and honoring life.
I believe in health care. But what has been proposed is not health care with integrity. It's death care. The American people deserve integrity, not death.
Kira Clark
North Bend
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