Upon reading the article on Friday, March 19, “School District holds millions worth in properties.” As a new resident on Pearl Street, I am perplexed as to the “why” these properties are in “rack and ruin.”
Mrs. Washington stated that “this is not urgent” and “this is not something to worry about now.” I respectfully disagree. This is urgent and more importantly, when will it be time to worry about it??
When will this community be free from looking at these piles of rubble and decay that you (Mrs. Washington and Mrs. Saunders) do not consider urgent? These dilapidated buildings that once housed our most precious assets (our children) serve as symbols of loss, failure and regret that we the people of Monticello lost these beautiful safe places to attend school.
These “eye sores” serve as daily reminders of the many failures by the leaders of the school board to protect and defend the people and property of the district. This is humble stewardship. Generations before us built these by the sweat of their brow and work of their hands. They gave form to our dreams of education for our children by spending our tax dollars on safe, secure and beautiful buildings that all could use and enjoy. To dismiss this as a “small matter” is shamefully ungrateful. As an old saying goes “the devil is in the details” and another wise old saying “he who is faithful in small matters can be trusted in big ones.”
Maybe Mrs. Washington and Mrs. Saunders do not want to talk about the buildings because they represent a failure of leadership and stewardship. The road back to fiscal health and academic renewal for this district is inextricably tied to the buildings. Children and educators cannot learn or teach nor administrate without a safe, secure location. The vultures and rodents that now reside where eager minds and diligent teachers once tirelessly worked to provide a meaningful future to the children and families of Jefferson County is a monumental tragedy.
I am grateful to Mrs. Tricquet for starting this conversation. I look forward to continuing it. “It will be a new day and a great start to get our schools back when we clean up this mess with our own hearts and hands together .” Despise not small beginnings let us rejoice that the work begins.
Shannon James