Letters to the editor, Nov. 11, 2009
School board thanks voters for turnout
I am expressing the Board of Education’s appreciation to all of the school district residents who voted in the Nov. 3 referendum.
Voter turnout was exceptional, considering the referendum was the only item on the ballot.
Decisions regarding any referendum are always difficult for the board, as it tries to balance its responsibility for meeting the educational needs of school children and its responsibility to be fiscally responsible to district taxpayers. The board believes that its primary responsibility during a referendum campaign is to provide accurate information to district electors. We expect and respect diverse opinions to be expressed during the referendum campaign.
On behalf of the Board of Education, I would like to thank the school district staff, parents, business leaders and other community members who assisted with the dissemination of referendum information, expressed support for the referendum in the Dells Events and encouraged voters to go to the polls and vote for this referendum.
The board views community participation and community decisions about school referendums as something very necessary and positive in the operation of the school district.
David C. Schulz, board president, School District of Wisconsin Dells
Police thank House of Embers
With the generous donations from their guests, we were able to bring in 340 food and toiletry items and raise $444 for the Community Action food pantry.
Thank you very much and don’t forget the Battle of the Badges food drive runs through Nov. 19.
Darren Jorgenson, Lake Delton
Downtown will be dead in a few years
The large resorts like the Kalahari, Wilderness and Great Wolf, are south of the Dells and Chula Vista is on the north side with their indoor waterparks, restaurants and gift shops. The downtown main street is being turned into what will eventually be called the “North and South Dells.”
In winter, people come to the Dells and stay at the large resorts and don’t have to come downtown when they have the indoor amenities.
My wife and I lived in the Dells for 13 years, and in that time we have seen the number of visitors diminish more and more.
You say the downtown isn’t dying, Bill Brown, but I think you better take another good look. In the distant future, the downtown will become somewhat of a ghost town if something isn’t done soon.
Mike Jordan, Portage
Swiss Maid thanks contributors
On behalf of everyone at Swiss Maid Fudge we thank those who contributed to our fundraiser for Breast Cancer Research. Thanks to your purchases of our “candy for the cure” confections as well as cash donations, we were able to donate $600 to this great cause. Many of us know someone who is or was touched by breast cancer.
We remind everyone about our upcoming fundraiser for the Columbia County Humane Society during the month of December. We hope you will be able to provide the shelter with many of the supplies they need to operate again this year or a cash donation. In return we will give you a “thank you” box of fudge from Swiss Maid Fudge. Watch the paper for the dates this year. We appreciate your continued support of both of these worthy causes.
Jane Heller, Swiss Maid Fudge, Wisconsin Dells
Puppy should not be auctioned at event
I found it rather disturbing to read that a live puppy is going to be auctioned at a fundraising event. There are many things available for a group to auction besides a live dog.
Any ethical and professional person involved in dogs would be totally against this. Having been involved professionally and actively in champion line Siberian Huskies for 38 years as well as Dobermans for 20 years, I was involved in not only exhibiting in the AKC conformation show ring but held office in dog clubs along with being actively involved in the education of dog ownership to the novice dog owner.
Any ethical breeder carefully screens prospective puppy buyers by obtaining references prior to purchase. Ethical breeders go so far as to make contacts for references and a home visit when selling a puppy to a prospective buyer who lives out of state and the puppy will be shipped. The rescue groups do the same and do a home visit before approving an adoption.
I have a rescue greyhound, since retiring many years ago from participation in the AKC conformation show ring.
The auctioned puppy will be handed over to the highest bidder whoever he/she may be without a clue of the person’s background in caring for a puppy. Hopefully, this puppy will luck out and fall into an excellent home.
Joan E. Forsythe, Wisconsin Dells
Create wealth, don’t raise taxes
There’s an answer for how to lower our high taxes and provide more dollars to our schools and meet other community needs. Throughout history, it’s the only answer.
Whether raising hundreds of millions of people out of dire poverty in China or India, or raising per capita incomes in states and regions of America, the answer is to create more wealth.
The alternative plan, to spread existing wealth around, has brought down once great nations. We need to create more jobs and bake a bigger economic pie locally and nationally.
In Littleton Colo., Chris Gibbons developed an approach to economic development called Economic Gardening. Gibbons is right when he says that only entrepreneurs create jobs, not governments or economic developers.
Economic Gardening is working for Littleton and the communities and regions adopting it nationwide. It provides tools for communities to assist entrepreneurs, especially those with “second-stage companies.” Second stage companies are vital to recovering from our current downturn and for our economic prosperity. Most job growth in this nation and our region comes from first stage — those with zero to nine employees — and second stage, those with 10 to 99 employees — with minimal growth or actual declines in larger companies.
Are you ready to be part of the answer by helping your community to improve its local economy? Learn about Economic Gardening direct from Chris Gibbons at http://www.littletongov.org/bia/economicgardening/. Find tools from the Edward Lowe Foundations at www.YourEconomy.org.
Most important, get involved locally. Start with a contact to the economic development group for your county: Sauk: Karna Hanna (608) 355-2084; Juneau: Terry Whipple (608) 427-2070; and Columbia: Nancy Elsing (608) 742-6161.
It’s also important to celebrate our local entrepreneurs. A new statewide award program, “Wisconsin Companies to Watch” creates a great opportunity to express gratitude to our local business owners for providing jobs and wealth in our community. Learn about the program and how to nominate a company or a company can self-nominate at http://www.wenportal.org/.
State Sen. Dale Schultz, R-Richland Center. Contact him at sen.schultz@legis.wi.gov or www.senatordaleschultz.com