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Local leaders are responsible for area’s decay
To the editor:
Nice column by Tim Rowland in Sunday’s paper. Why all this discussion about a Suns stadium? If it’s going to be a Suns stadium, let the Suns build it. What this area needs is a multi-use stadium/arena for baseball, outdoor concerts, etc.
On the subject of the decay of downtown Hagerstown and Washington County, let’s look at the facts and get a historical perspective. Local government has become stagnant, just as every other political entity has. The same old faces run and get elected every election, with the same old ideas and perspectives. Politicians are not elected by qualifications anymore. They are elected by senority, popularity and showmanship.
Supposed leaders in this area are scratching their heads wondering what has happened and why, without realizing that they are the problem. They are the ones who continue this downward spiral into the abyss by their actions, such as recruiting and rewarding warehouses and substandard employers that move into the area, taking advantage of our workforce and resources. Employees need to have something that economists call “expendable income” for an economy to thrive, not just survive.
You know we are in trouble when our big box retailers are clearing out “big box items” to make room for neccessities. Never in my life did I think I would see such stores filling their shelves with bread, milk and eggs.
Our leaders need to look at history and ask themselves, “What drew people to our cities in the first place? What greased the gears that kept our country and economy running so smoothly?” It was the enticement of good-paying union manufacturing jobs from well-paying employers at Ford, GM, Chrysler, Caterpillar, Mack, Fairchild, Boeing, etc. Many such jobs have left our country because of corporate greed and a desire to bring unions to their knees.
All globalization has done is taken the wealth of the United States and redistributed it to the rest of the world.
Paul Highbarger
Halfway
Don’t move BOE office when school needs renovation
To the editor:
According to reports, a meeting was held Jan. 6 at Fountain Head Country Club to discuss how Washington County’s portion of the proposed increased gas tax could be spent in the county. Apparently, the discussion centered on two projects. They were a new bridge over Antietam Creek near Meritus Medical Center/Hagerstown Community College and moving the Board of Education Central Office to downtown Hagerstown.
On principle, I object to moving the Board of Education offices at this time. We have a high school in the county that has been operating 52 years without a major renovation. In the main classroom area, students occupy the same space that students did 52 years ago. It has been identified by the school board as needing renovation.
This school is Boonsboro High School. According to the Capital Improvement Plan, the earliest this will take place is 2020. I can not agree to spending funds (in all probability millions) to move the Board of Education offices downtown when a high school has needs.
Some would say the legislature would approve the Central Office move but not approve a school renovation. I say bunk. If the legislators representing this county get behind a school project, it has as much likelihood of passing as a Central Office move.
Meredith Fouche
Sharpsburg
To the editor:
Nice column by Tim Rowland in Sunday’s paper. Why all this discussion about a Suns stadium? If it’s going to be a Suns stadium, let the Suns build it. What this area needs is a multi-use stadium/arena for baseball, outdoor concerts, etc.
On the subject of the decay of downtown Hagerstown and Washington County, let’s look at the facts and get a historical perspective. Local government has become stagnant, just as every other political entity has. The same old faces run and get elected every election, with the same old ideas and perspectives. Politicians are not elected by qualifications anymore. They are elected by senority, popularity and showmanship.
Supposed leaders in this area are scratching their heads wondering what has happened and why, without realizing that they are the problem. They are the ones who continue this downward spiral into the abyss by their actions, such as recruiting and rewarding warehouses and substandard employers that move into the area, taking advantage of our workforce and resources. Employees need to have something that economists call “expendable income” for an economy to thrive, not just survive.
You know we are in trouble when our big box retailers are clearing out “big box items” to make room for neccessities. Never in my life did I think I would see such stores filling their shelves with bread, milk and eggs.
Our leaders need to look at history and ask themselves, “What drew people to our cities in the first place? What greased the gears that kept our country and economy running so smoothly?” It was the enticement of good-paying union manufacturing jobs from well-paying employers at Ford, GM, Chrysler, Caterpillar, Mack, Fairchild, Boeing, etc. Many such jobs have left our country because of corporate greed and a desire to bring unions to their knees.
All globalization has done is taken the wealth of the United States and redistributed it to the rest of the world.
Paul Highbarger
Halfway
Don’t move BOE office when school needs renovation
To the editor:
According to reports, a meeting was held Jan. 6 at Fountain Head Country Club to discuss how Washington County’s portion of the proposed increased gas tax could be spent in the county. Apparently, the discussion centered on two projects. They were a new bridge over Antietam Creek near Meritus Medical Center/Hagerstown Community College and moving the Board of Education Central Office to downtown Hagerstown.
On principle, I object to moving the Board of Education offices at this time. We have a high school in the county that has been operating 52 years without a major renovation. In the main classroom area, students occupy the same space that students did 52 years ago. It has been identified by the school board as needing renovation.
This school is Boonsboro High School. According to the Capital Improvement Plan, the earliest this will take place is 2020. I can not agree to spending funds (in all probability millions) to move the Board of Education offices downtown when a high school has needs.
Some would say the legislature would approve the Central Office move but not approve a school renovation. I say bunk. If the legislators representing this county get behind a school project, it has as much likelihood of passing as a Central Office move.
Meredith Fouche
Sharpsburg
