Despite being eclipsed by SB 451, a groundhog unable to find his shadow and the gloom of winter, Preston County cast a positive light on itself Saturday.
On its third attempt in 26 months Preston’s voters passed a special school levy — by a comfortable margin — 3,073 for to 2,731 against.
This, the day after the state Senate passed a controversial education “reform” bill that stands to drain already inadequate resources away from public schools.
Not to mention on the day a certain groundhog oddly forecast an early spring only hours after a snowstorm and a polar vortex took a break.
Yes, there are a couple of thousand voters in Preston who are upset with this outcome, but the majority did the right thing, so stand tall.
Furthermore, they not only did the right thing by passing this special levy that will provide an additional $4.5 million annually for five years for their school district, but they did it the right way.
That is, with widespread community support, much of it generated by a grassroots campaign. Actually, make that more like a requisite social media campaign in this day and age, including families advocating the levy on their pages and the superintendent taking questions on Facebook.
Though some may take approval of such school levies for granted, this initiative’s passage in Preston County is crucial to even overall general maintenance, which the lion’s share — $2 million — of that $4.5 million in funding will be dedicated.
As important as that allocation is enough cannot be said about the additional $650,000 the levy will generate to hire additional classroom teachers and $200,000 for technology.
Another $250,000 yearly is earmarked for safety and security, which is vital to ensuring one less worry for students, staff and teachers and property is protected.
Though we mention it last, the $50,000 for community facility use is no case of throwing a bone to the dog. Indeed, that money will provide for a lot of public events in Preston’s school.
In many rural communities, the local school building is a point of pride — the heartbeat, if you will , of small towns — where bleachers swell and multi-purpose rooms fill up for plays, concerts and seasonal celebrations.
Preston’s school superintendent had it right when he described what this levy’s passage really means: The ability to work to improve the county instead of just looking at what to cut next.
Wayward legislators, confused groundhogs and winter often pose a test for any community or school system.
But the choice is always yours: Do your homework and do your best to control your own fate or someone or something else will.
Congratulations on the right choice, Preston County.
Morgantown Area News
'Tuesday, November 12, 2024'
