OCR Text |
Show Dear Mr. Taylor This letter should concern the residents, electors and taxpayers "of Grand County regarding the recent trend of public employees (school teachers) filing for public office I sincerely feel that this development is detrimental detri-mental to the public interest and contrary to the tenets of good government in our county. coun-ty. A school teacher is a public servant hired by the public to teach our children. There has been a raging controversy con-troversy for a number of years in our State over the pay of schol teachers. The cry has been to pay them a decent salary so as to attract competent, dedicated full time professional teachers. teach-ers. School teachers' salaries salar-ies have nearly doubled in the past 12 years. It would seem, however, that paying our teachers a decent salary is not enough now, the poor overburdened taxpayer is being asked to pay certain school teachers two separate salaries for doing two jobs at the same time. What private pri-vate employer would even be asked, much less consent to paying a man , twice for doing two-jobs at the same time? NoW it touW be contended con-tended that a school teacher and a county commissioner have two separate employers, but, in fact, are not both working for the taxpayer? Obviously if a man has two jobs he cannot do both at the same time and must therefore there-fore neglect one at the expense ex-pense of the other and in this particular case the public is the goat, regardless. The School teachers may argue that the commissioner's job is a part time job taking only on-ly a few hours a month; but I point out that commissioners commission-ers are presently being paid $3,000.00 per year and are expected not only lo attend commissioners meetings, but to be available at all time3 when needed to attend to county business. I feel that if a man wants to be a public pub-lic servant he should be a public servant, but that he cannot be a servant and master at the same time. It is hard to see ,how a man can serve the public and direct public affairs at the same time. I say if a man wants to be a school teacher, let him be a school teacher; but if a school teacher wants to be a county commissioner, let him first resign his position posi-tion as public employee. 1 urge all to contact the local school board and make your feelings known regarding this matter. 0. C. Caouette Dear Sam: I have just returned from the Souftheast Elementary school after seeing their an. nual Constitution Program. I have been going for more years than I like to admit, and each one is as big a thrill as the last. Its a little hard to admit that these alert, al-ert, bright young people, only on-ly sixth grade know more about our Constitution than me and most of my friends, but that's a fact. Their program pro-gram was outstanding as usual, and presented by all three sixth grades under the direction of Mrs. Ing, Mrs. Madsen and Miss Fleming. This is besides their regular scheduled classes and is way above and beyond the call of duty, but the most worthwhile worth-while under taking I can imagine. im-agine. I'd like to congratulate these three dedicated teachers, teach-ers, their principal Mr. Wim-mer, Wim-mer, who supports7 them in their endeavors completely and the marvelous young students. All of them were great. I'd also like to offer my condolences to those who couldn't or didn't take the time to go see one of the most' outstanding programs presented in Moab during the year. Sincerely, Donna Loveridge Dear Editor: We are concerned about some of the problems of pollution pol-lution in the Moab and Can-yonlands Can-yonlands area. We were wondering won-dering what the County Commission Com-mission is going to do about the following problems: 1. The dump area. We hear it does not meet Federal requirements. re-quirements. 2. Smog. On May 18, some smog was blown in from the Four Corners region and some from the Atlas Minerals Miner-als plant. 3. Littering: Assorted cans and paper are all along on our highways and city streets and scenic places of our County. These are just some of the serious problems in Moab and the Canyonlands area. Sincerely yours, Dallas Hunsaker and Bruce Ankrum, 8th grade class |