Your source for community topics and thoughts

Sounding off on a variety of topics
“Seeing the high voter turnout was the most gratifying for me. I have never seen so many people voting in Hartselle. Regardless of the results, I think voter participation is the cornerstone that makes our system work. Angry arguing is not going to produce anything. Debate and then casting your personal ballot, I think does change. By the way, the new principal at the high school is the best thing the school board has done. Thank you Dr. Reed and staff.”

“I don’t “hate Hartselle for what she is”. Strong roots grow deep and keep me here. Moving to the “utopia of Decatur” is not an option nor desire for many like myself. I, however, am not pleased with the direction my town is going. Hartselle will not die. It may, however, become stagnant. The young, receiving top quality education will have to move elsewhere to find jobs that will not exist in their hometown in years to come. We elderly citizens will slowly die off. The world is changing. It is not necessarily for the better, but change is a fact. Those who cannot accept change become “stagnant” and outdated. I fear for my grandchildrens’ future. I would wish for them to remain here as generations of our family have. Will an opportunity be provided here?”

“I noticed in one of the papers a picture of voters lined up vote on many issues including legal sales. They were lined up at a “legal gambling house”, The American Legion. The sign on the door in the picture said no one under 19 allowed durning bingo. I am not knocking the Legion people for they are the heros that fought to allow us the right to vote. I just noticed the picture.”

“Now that the vote is over and we won’t be getting any additional revenue, I pose this question to the holy rollers.
When the city begins to go into the general fund to pay for things such as mowing the grass on the ball fields, providing lights for practice and games, etc., will you step up and provide a plan to help the city incur these costs, or will you provide another alternate means of garnering more tax revenue? Will you be as acceptive to higher property taxes to pay for these things? In other word, what’s your plan for growth? Don’t have one? I didn’t think so!”

“One thing I want to see when we get an elected school board in place is “openess.” Another thing is allowing ordinary citizens or parents to be able to speak at school board meetings without having to be on the agenda. An open government isn’t afraid to reveal how much money they have in reserve, and how much they are paying out, and to whom they are paying it to.
I hope the next school board will have the backbone to remove the teachers that are draining the system financially. We have about 10 teachers that receive a paycheck that should be terminated. We have other employees that should be made to retire, and their positions be eliminated.
Collectively, if the school board approached this more forcefully, we could save the school system nearly $500,000 per year.”

Sounding off
“Whether the city ever goes wet will depend on the citizen’s of Hartselle’s attitude at the time. I was born and raised here and my loyality has never receeded from the problems that face our city. I will state this as a fact. I have seen elected officials in this city tackle a problem or recomendation and go above and beyond what needed to be done and their common sense approach be swayed because of someone or something that wanted something different. Need an example ( the new high school started out at a cost of 28 million, now it’s in the 40s.) There is no outcry because Hartselle needs a new high school, the outcry is coming because the school keeps getting more expensive and the powers that be know that they can keep adding state of the art additions because the governing body strong armed the people of this city by the new tax. Some of the decisions this governing body makes in this is not for the good of all, it clearly shows that its the good of a few. I hope the city has enough tax money to cover whatever it needs, because i would hate to see the council use its forgetfulness card and ask for some kind of new tax, it might create a firestorm.”

“The newly elected school board will be greatly welcomed by the majority of the community and me. Hopefully, as discussed frequently on e-sound the average Joe will have a voice or be listened too. In the past when you questioned or asked why, you were labeled as a trouble maker. The decisions concerning school business should include everyone not just the elite few. It will be nice to be able to approach the board without fear of your children being labeled just because you asked why. In addition, the new board should review all policies and even how sports tryouts are conducted. We all know that sports tryouts are just a joke and the roster is formed long before the tryouts occur. Maybe just because someone is an employee of the city system, a friend, or neighbor their child will not be placed above more deserving children in academic and sports. I have high hopes for equality with the new coming elected board. I know it is some time away, but now is the time to start considering issues that need resolved. Let’s all choose wisely and plan ahead.”

“It is time that board members visit schools and ask questions of teachers who are in the trenches and must deal with the effects of his and the Board’s decisions. Now that we will have an elected board, (and maybe the current board will wake up and realize we’re not in Oz anymore) we will see leadership who collectively make decisions that are truly in the best interests of the students instead of themselves and their names on the new high school’s plaque, and blindly rubber stamped all decisions made by the superintendent. Maybe the elected school board will choose to wait about renewing Dr. Reed’s contract because right now he has a 3 year continual contract in force. He needs a year-by-year contract. Otherwise, when our board wises up and begins to question his motives, they won’t have to buy out all 3 years of his contract, but instead, have to only buy out 1 year at the most. Hello? Does this make sense to anyone else? Ask a school employee if this makes sense to them? They live daily with Dr. Reed’s decisions-they know what’s really going on!”
Wake up, Hartselle!

The Hartselle Enquirer’s e-sound off is an  opportunity for residents to provide anonymous comments about community issues. All comments are subject to editing. The Editor reserves the right to refuse publication. In the event of several submissions on a single topic, a representative comment may be used. Comments can include your thoughts on local issues, questions about policies or procedures or praise for a community group, business or person. Email your comments to news@hartselleenquirer.com with “Sound-off” in subject line.