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To the editor: In reference to an Aug. 30 Press article relating to Pearson Park and the invasive buckthorn, I think this is a solution (available money) looking for a problem (something to spend it on).
Fifty years ago, my family received through the Department of Natural Resources a group of plants that were supposed to benefit wildlife. Buckthorn was one of them. Now the Metroparks thinks it is not beneficial.
Buckthorn makes a great thick hedge and stays green well into December. An excellent buffer for park paths, it provides shelter for wildlife and young trees. It has been significantly present in the park for over 20 years. It is the dark green foliage you see when driving through the park. I am concerned if they attempt to remove it, the results could be more devastating then the ash borer or Dutch elm disease ever were.
The park is spraying herbicide to kill it. My experience with buckthorn has been if you cut off mature plants at the ground, they die. The needless use of herbicide concerns me. Everyone using the paths will be exposed, as will the fauna and flora.
Nothing was done after the removal of the elm trees in the 60s and the park came back on its own. I believe a selective cutting would be best and let nature take care of the rest.
Gene Hagedorn
Oregon
A responsibility
To the editor: As a parent, a taxpayer and an employee of the Oregon School District, I know that passage of the November levy is critical to the successful future of the Oregon community. It is a responsibility of each generation to provide education for the next generation. I take my responsibilities seriously.
As a parent, I have seen school programs including art, music, physical education and more cut to the bare minimum over the past few years. Parents and students in Oregon are likely to see further cuts, but cuts are likely to be in areas and ways where making the system whole again will be difficult and painful—cuts to incredibly important programs such as auto mechanics and computer programming.
Busing is likely to change drastically and could disappear for some students. Higher fees will happen for athletics. We could lose every-day kindergarten. And it is entirely possible that one of our newly-renovated elementary schools will close. I have heard talk of reconfiguring the middle schools in such a way that all fifth- and sixth-graders will be in one building, and all seventh- and eighth-graders will be in the other. Do you now live close enough for your child to walk to middle school? Don’t plan on it for the future unless the levy passes. I hope you will be as willing as I am to do everything possible to keep quality education in place for children in Oregon.
As a taxpayer, I do not want a mediocre district where all requirements meet government minimum levels. I want schools to maintain the present quality of education—or better. The intrinsic value of our community is directly proportional to the quality of its services – the schools, and the police, fire and recreation departments. Our school system is excellent; it has renovated facilities (thanks to the levy voted by the electorate, a levy which, by law, can be used only for permanent improvements and facility maintenance, not to operate the schools). For example, the new driveway at Fassett comes from Permanent Improvement Funds. Funds available in this account cannot be used for operations.
Twenty percent of funding for the Oregon School District has disappeared because of Ohio HB 66. Think about it. What would Oregon taxpayers do if only 80 percent of Oregon streets were plowed during winter? If only 80 percent of garbage was removed from their residences? If only 80 percent of fire and police calls were answered? We as a community would not stand for this travesty. Oregon would be crippled, just like our schools are now crippled, and will continue to be crippled if taxpayers don’t replace funding taken away by the state of Ohio in HB 66. Administration has worked hard to cut as deeply as possible, while minimizing the effects of cuts on students. The next round of cuts will affect the quality of education, services students need, home values, and the quality of life in Oregon. I hope you will be as willing as I am to do everything possible to keep quality education in place for children in Oregon.
As an employee of the Oregon School District, I can attest to all employees not taking a raise in the past three years. All employees have agreed to a lower-priced health insurance plan, which requires more out-of-pocket expenses across the board to save the district money. As employees retire, many positions remain unfilled because of finances, resulting in loss of teachers, bus drivers, custodians, counselors and other positions.
We have beautiful buildings, but we will have a devil of a time keeping them up without support staff. For example, as a custodian, I have seen the extra measures the school has taken to prevent the spread of illnesses by sanitizing athletic equipment and classroom facilities when student health is in jeopardy. Proper facility maintenance is crucial to maintaining student health and welfare. It is outrageous to think Oregon City Schools may have to resort to every-other-day cleaning or refuse removal.
I am privileged to work for the Oregon School District. I know how great the employees are – the teachers who care about the education and wellbeing of our children, the support staff who puts in so much extra effort to ensure that students arrive safely, that they eat well, and that they are able to learn in a clean and safe environment. Just think. All of the educational structure put in place by our parents and grandparents at great personal sacrifice could change unless taxpayers support the levy in November. I hope you will be as willing as I am to do everything possible to keep quality education in place for children in Oregon.
Do the right thing. Support the levy in November for the community, for the children and grandchildren, for a brighter future for all Oregon/Jerusalem Township residents.
Steve Carpenter
Oregon
Loyalty?
To the editor: I am writing in disbelief of the “Week 2 The Press/WRSCradio.com Soothsayers” poll published Aug. 31.
Wow. Really? How encouraging to us players of the Clay High School football team to know we have the backing and loyalty of our fine mayor, Mike Seferian.
It is my hope that Mr. Seferian was simply using reverse psychology to spur Oregon’s Eagles to a solid victory against Perrysburg on Sept. 3. If not, shame on Mr. Seferian for not backing players whose parents may have backed him in his bid for his current position against former Mayor Marge Brown.
Please keep in mind, Mr. Seferian, we are future voters and may be given the opportunity to support you in electing you to another term as the mayor of Oregon, OH.
I can’t speak for my fellow teammates, but I know this discouraging word against my school’s team may sway my vote toward your opponent as you have “voted” against the Clay Eagles of Oregon City Schools.
Kudos, though, to the two area businessmen, Tim Williams, of Big Apple Deli, and Alan Miller, of Alan Miller Jewelers, for your support and loyalty to your local team. Because of this backing, I encourage all citizens of Oregon, OH, to frequent their businesses, especially, since retail is very select and limited in the great metropolis. Being new to the area and the schools as of August 2009, I’m not sure if these two gentlemen are alumni, but they do know where to lay their loyalties, since Oregon is where they have their establishments.
Maybe Mr. Williams or Mr. Miller should consider throwing their hats into the ring during the next mayoral race for our great city. They certainly would have my support and backing as my team has from them.
At the time of this writing, I have no clue to the outcome of Friday’s game against Perrysburg, but what I do know is how hard, long and hot I and my fellow teammates have practiced and prepared for a win against Perrysburg. If we fail to succeed, I know we will at least force their hand at earning that win and will do so with the loyalty and support of many fine students, parents, staff, alumni and citizens of Oregon and Oregon City schools. (Footnote: Clay Eagles freshmen triumphed over Perrysburg Thursday, Sept. 2, 2010 with a victory score of 21 to 8).
It is my hope that Mayor Seferian is at least in attendance at Friday night’s game, if not all Clay High School games, cheering us on. If not, I challenge Mr. Seferian to attend and in case you aren’t sure where to sit…Clay’s fans will be wearing green and gold, not black and gold.
One privilege of living in this great country and the City of Oregon is the freedom of speech and the entitlement to one’s own opinion. Mayor Mike Seferian has stated his and now I have expressed mine.
Miles A. Carter
Clay High School Freshman and #81
Stop the abuse
To the editor: When one person gets something from a government agency for doing nothing, some other workers must give up some of their hard-earned weekly pay to that same government agency.
Work and you can pay your bills. Don’t work and go to the state and get whatever you need for free – food stamps, free rent, help with utilities, free education, free health care, etc. These are benefits you can receive for sitting at home watching TV and playing video games. Who set up this type of unfair program?
This is the most unfair, one-sided, never-ending idea ever cast upon the working man and woman. This program is greatly abused by many. People are on disability that have no right to be qualified. You and I both know who these people are.
Many do everything except go to work. My back hurts every day. My knee pops out on me about eight times a week, but I still work and have been doing so for 60 years.
We have TV ads that tell people to call law offices to help them get on SSI. What’s up with that? What a shame.
We must stop this abuse. I want to keep the money I work hard for. If you need money, get a job.
Larry Erard
Oregon
Fed funds welcome, but
To the editor: There has been some recent news about Ohio’s award of both Race to the Top and federal “Edu Jobs” funds. While this is welcomed news, and Oregon will certainly benefit, it is important to understand what these funds will and won’t do for our schools, especially in light of the district’s pending Nov. 2 emergency operating levy. In short, these are one-time funds with strings attached that do not begin to the fill the gap that our schools are facing. In fact, these funds will provide only a small portion of funding to our schools and for a very limited period of time. For example, Oregon is expected to receive an annual amount of $63,376 from the Race to the Top grant for the next four years and a one-time allocation of $495,786 from the federal stimulus dollars.
That combined amount, although welcomed, would hardly cover five days’ worth of operations from our schools. In the meantime, we have lost $8 million in funding locally and are likely to lose even more in the next state budget cycle.
These funds will help improve student achievement through existing programs and services. It’s money that otherwise would have to be cut or funded locally. We are glad to have it but it does not solve what our Oregon schools have and continue to face.
The truth is our schools will continue to face a funding gap that is only widening with each year. Only we can take care of this locally. The district’s Nov. 2 emergency operating levy remains a critical one with $2 million in cuts and reductions at stake. These are cuts to teaching, staffing, career tech programming and more.
Thank you for your interest, pride and support of our Oregon schools and students. We are a quality school system because of the support shown by our Oregon/Jerusalem community.
Michael Zalar
Superintendent
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