To the Editor:
Through the years I have witnessed many communities in Missouri and the importance their school plays in the ability to attract industry, business and people to enjoy the quality of life in a place we call home.
I believe almost every parent wants their children to have a better life with more advantages then they had. Their and your support and encouragement to each child and the local school district make this a possibility.
A few years ago at a family get together, we were talking about their school days. Plenty of fun stories were told. One of our kids shared how much they admired someone in their class who had overcome much adversity in family life and at school. Some of the classmates had befriended her and many of their teachers were strong role models while recognizing her ability. Some students and many teachers made what may have seemed to be impossible, possible because now this person is example of the American Dream.
In many small towns their school district is THE economic locomotive. It attracts teachers, administrators, social services and all of the support personnel to find employment in the often largest employer within the district.
I learned the importance of taking care of property at an early age from my family’s business. At the time I had no idea what it was called. However, when I entered Army life, a name appeared — Preventive Maintenance. Everyone knows it by many different names. If you own anything an early lesson learned is it will last a long time if you take care of it and if you don’t it will cost much more later! Many have experienced a wise saying, “If you abuse it, you lose it!”
Every community’s most vital resource is our desire to help our youth to be all they can be. We don’t have students in our school system anymore. Years ago when we did, someone else, who are like us now voted and supported the school realizing the good schools meant rising real estate values. The same holds today.
In the early 1970’s when I returned to Owensville, none of our industrial parks existed. The industry base consisted of Brown Shoe Company, Custom Printing, Polytech, Laclede-Christy and Freeman Heel.
Soon thereafter, the industrial park where Lakeside Book is currently, Custom Printing moved into their new building. Quickly following at the urging of Jim Decker, the park was nearly full with industry who needed skilled workers. Others came to the area west of town. Our schools educated our community’s most important natural resource — its youth — to find employment.
Industry and businesses pay the highest tax assessment, residential next and agriculture lowest. Industry knows “which side their bread is buttered on” and is very supportive of our school system both in donations, advertisements and tax dollars.
The bond issue you are now considering is an investment in your future as well as our current and future students. Our school district has very modern and up-to-date infrastructure because it has been wisely supported by it patrons.
As technology changes, so does the current and planned for needs to train our youth who will make our school district and area even better in the years to come.
Our school administration and leadership has presented a reasonable plan to modernize what we have, provide a safe learning environment for our youth and supply resources for our educators in the classroom as well as transportation for the district.
School districts like Owensville issue much sought after bonds to fund provide improvements. They have scheduled, annual payments of interest along with annual maturities to meet the laws established to regulate the total debt requirement.
Additionally I urge you to support our local businesses and buy at home when possible, dine at our local restaurants, encourage your fellow workers and most importantly support our local school district, its educators and employees.
All of these are important in making Owensville an attractive place to call home, educate your children to reach their goals and create a quality of life which will draw others to live and become our new friends. This becomes a magnet for new industry to provide products for the emerging economy and jobs for our residents.
Judy and I visit school districts throughout the state providing vision screenings for our scholars and glasses if needed. We see at every location the incredible amount of energy, direction, effort, support and love our educators put into the lives of their students. Fortunately they are there because we can tell in far too many instances this effort is the only positive influence they receive in their life.
Our teachers are highly trained to provide for the needs of students. Our administrators are up-to-date on facility requirements to provide those needs. I believe it is common sense and in every voters best interest to support the growth, maintenance of buildings and attractiveness of our community by supporting these improvement to be provided for with this bond issue.
Mark A. Schaeperkoetter
