My name is Ryan Morgan, and I am one of the school board representatives from Farmington, as most of you know. In case my absence has been noted, I’ve been away from meetings as I have been getting more VA help. Anyways, the board members are volunteers that care for the schools, staff, children, and our communities. Now some are going to attack me for what I just said, and you can call me at 491-7314 to do so in person. I have a freshman and a 3rd grader in the school district. I understand the needs of the school and the needs of people on a fixed income. If you promise not to tell, sometimes when I go to a house and can see the shock of the price to fix an electrical issue on the customer’s face, I fix the problem and leave without charging them. I am a strong believer of communities. We are one community that wants to put our kids in a better spot then we were when we left high school.
I’m not going to lie to you – there is some “fluff” in the new budget, but not a million dollars worth. We can’t have this cut without programs going away. Do we want to have our children not play music, play sports, nor have field trips to a learning environment? If you know me I’m not going to be a doom and gloomier. We can cut some as there are places to trim. It’s time for the board to go through the budget and see what is there. Either way of how the vote comes out we are losing the sense of community we all want. I ask you to think of your vote with your heart and listen to what YOU feel is best. Whether the vote goes “yes” or “no” I will be involved in the process of looking for cuts for YOU THE COMMUNITY.
Please don’t vote in anger, but with thought regarding everyone involved.
Ryan Morgan
Farmington
Your letter is heartfelt and sincere and many in our community need to read it. I hope you also post this on your social media sites. You are a local leader, are well respected and you and your wife are strong school supporters. Your critical message that these cuts will decimate our schools needs to get out. . Thank you.
Thank you for your service both to our country and community. I also agree that the proposed cuts are way too deep, and would harm our students as well as our broad community. Communities with well-supported schools are proven to have lower rates of crime, better economies, and more opportunities for senior citizens through connection with high school community service and adult education opportunities. Young families with kids are drawn to communities with good schools, and buy homes, pay taxes, and open small businesses in those communities. We all benefit from the schools.
Yes, it’s a problem that our senior citizens are financially struggling. Yes, we need to figure out a solution. However, slashing the school budget is not the answer, and the meager cost savings on taxes (of which the schools are only a portion) are not going to help them if they are already that desperate. The majority of the rhetoric and misinformation about the budget needing to be cut has come from people who are bitter, angry and misinformed. The only thing they have accomplished is harming our community by causing a divide among our once very friendly small town citizens.
My kids go to school in the district and receive excellent educations. Someday, they will graduate and go on to work and contribute to this community by opening their own businesses and practices, employing people, and adding opportunities and economic prosperity to the community.
To be clear, I speak ONLY for myself. I am one of the older citizens on a strict fixed income that has frequently been mentioned & concerned about during the current discourse re: SAD 9 budget and the 9/12/2017 vote.
I am in my 701s, retired after working 47 years, have paid Farmington real estate taxes every year since 1976. It is
also applicable that my 2 grown children attended & graduated from SAD 9, as did 2 of my adult grandchildren. All
received an inclusive good education that enabled them to further their education and go out in the world as responsible employed adults, daily caring about & contributing to society.
I have throughout the years respected & supported the SAD 9 administration, teachers, staff,school board & ALL
STUDENTS….inclusive of ALL! I never begrudged SAD 9 when my taxes were due because I had confidence in the SAD 9 administration & school board that they had the appropriate facts, figures, mandated guidelines, knowledge & experience to assist them in submitting a budget that would meet the needs of ALL STUDENTS & encompass guidelines required by law.
Logically, if the current budget passes, the cuts, indeed, will affect ALL students. Let us not go backwards with cuts of programs but work on producing & passing a budget that is educationally sound & includes extracurricular activities offered to ALL students. I fully agree with funding for Special Ed, a very necessary & valuable program.
I am a strong…..NO….vote on 9/12 & I urge all voting individuals to support SAD 9 with a NO vote.
Addition to my previous above post: I also have 3 grandchildren currently enrolled in SAD 9. So, I have past applicable experience with SAD 9 & a current strong interest in SAD 9!
The title of this story, when it is over, will be “LESSONS TO BE LEARNED”, however, one thing we learn from history is that we don’t learn! As this has been played out since last Tuesday, feelings of anger and frustration have escalated.Seems like no one is trying to “cure” it. A division of community, not as bad, but similar to the one in JAY years ago.