Dear Neighbors,

I urge the citizens of Charlotte to go to the polls on November 3^rd and support the two bond issues for the Charlotte Central School.

 

An extremely thorough and careful analysis by the School Board (and energy and architectural experts) identified major structural system problems on the oldest sections of the school. These problems have potential serious health and safety implications for all the students and adults who frequent the school. Code violations, poor air quality, and inefficient energy usage all sap money from the school’s operating budget. These are “invisible” problems. Driving past the school and looking at the building from the road is deceptive. All looks good. However, the facility “innards” show a different story. I suggest that people check out the “slideshow” on the website (http://sites.google.com/site/ccsbondvote/CCS-BOND-PROJECT/pictures-tell-the-story).

 

I support both bond issues. The first article addresses the structural, heating, ventilating, plumbing and electrical problems in both the 1949 and the 1969 sections of the building. I also support the second article--a wood chip heating system. CVU’s experience with a wood chip system has been outstanding. CVU has already saved many tens of thousands of dollars, and, I believe, the students and community appreciate doing our part in reducing dependency on fossil fuels.

 

I always cringe when my taxes increase, but, frankly, when it comes to student wellness and safety, I think the extra dollars are well spent. At the very minimum, our children deserve good air quality, fully accessible classrooms, adequate heat, a roof that doesn’t leak and facilities that meet all fire-safety codes. In addition, the approach the Board is proposing of issuing bonds versus rolling the expenses into the operating budget will have less of an impact on our tax rate.

 

Lastly, I want to thank the CCS School Board for their diligence and hard work and unrelenting efforts to make information available and transparent to the community. The Bond Issue section of the school’s website (http://www.ccsvt.us/) is an excellent resource for making an informed decision. Nice work Board! Thanks.

 

Sincerely,

Lorna Jimerson

 

 

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