Dear Editor:
I would like to share this Letter to Parents in Pocahontas County:
Dear Parents,
I hope you and your child/children are adjusting to the new school year with ease and little frustration.
As the day approached for my oldest son to attend school this year, I worried whether or not Kim and I had prepared him for all of the things and situations that attending school would present.
I also thought about how I had heard my parents and grandparents speak about wanting to provide their children with a better life than what they experienced growing up.
As a fellow parent, I believe we all desire better for our children.
I believe that in this community we are all very much connected, and we can make a huge difference in the lives of our children, both now and for their lifetimes.
I also believe we can make a huge difference in the lives of each other’s children by how we speak, by how we act and by how we treat each other.
Our grandparents and parents told us that we don’t hate anyone; we might hate what they do, but we don’t hate anyone. That belief by the older generations has all but disappeared in our country.
We have witnessed much hate in the past decade, and it seems to be getting worse. I am not just talking about racism, I am talking about the hate so many people in this world have for people with different ideas or beliefs.
This has created a tremendous amount of bad information and downright lies about certain beliefs this great country used to hold as true.
Our children deserve better.
If you believe that our children deserve better and know deep down inside of you that there truly is something better, then I invite you to a three-night event to be held right here in Marlinton.
Please join us for “A New Direction, With Our Wonderful God” which will be held at the Pocahontas County Opera House September 26, 27 and 28, starting at 7 p.m. each night.
This event is designed for those of us who don’t know much about God or for those of us who may have been misled or misinformed.
One misunderstanding I would like to clear up right now – the Holy Bible tells us in John 3:16: “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten son…”
The Holy Bible does not say, for God so loved the Church…
This event is for the unchurched and churched alike, because God so loved the world that He gave His only son so that all may have eternal life.
Or perhaps you would like to ensure that your children are exposed to the love of God and learn of God’s ways and His intentions for His children.
We are all God’s children.
Please plan to join us for a new direction with your Wonderful God.
Most sincerely,
J. L. Clifton
To the Editor:
The Pocahontas County Board of Education and central office have been located in Marlinton for more than 100 years; they should remain there. The school system is a government agency and the largest employer of full-time workers in the county; the Board Office belongs in Marlinton – the seat of county government and largest population center in the county.
Since the 1996 flood, the Board has held the proceeds from flood insurance claims on its office building in a separate account – which now contains approximately $180,000. The Board insists that these funds must be spent on repairs to the building or to relocate the office even though they have not cited any rule or regulation that would restrict use of the funds.
The Board and superintendent also say they must move because the building is ugly (they are embarrassed to meet visitors at their office) and uninhabitable. True, the building is an eyesore, but it is uninhabitable because they haven’t fixed the roof (which has been leaking for years) or the numerous fire safety deficiencies which have been noted several times by the state fire marshal in his annual inspection.
The Board is currently accepting bids to renovate the Hideaway Inn (former Moose Lodge) in Buckeye. Apparently, the Board is planning to buy another building and relocate its offices outside of Marlinton.
Meanwhile, the fire marshal’s most recent report says that the fire alarm system at Green Bank Elementary/Middle School must be replaced because of the unavailability of parts for the existing system. The fire marshal is also requiring the same upgrade at Marlinton Elementary School, plus major repairs to the sprinkler system. The Board says there is no money available to make these essential repairs.
This situation highlights how the Board of Education and superintendent set spending priorities. It seems they would rather spend unrestricted insurance claims on a new office for themselves than to fix fire safety deficiencies at GBE/MS and MES – which affect students, teachers and the communities they serve.
Board may have the right to move its offices to Buckeye, but it would be wrong.
Jay Miller
Hillsboro
