On Nov. 6, West Liberty-Salem voters will be asked to make a decision which could drastically impact the future of our school, our students and our community. As community members, we will be asked to decide whether or not to support a bond levy which will promote the educational development of West Liberty-Salem students.

The West Liberty-Salem Board of Education and district personnel have invested over two years researching available options and conducting several open meetings with community members. I was able to attend several of these meetings and the time and preparation that was invested by these individuals is to be commended.

When you vote "yes" for this levy, you will be bringing our community's school up to current standards. The urgent facility maintenance needs coupled with projected student growth, needs for improved technology and better educational resources make this levy a priority, which we can no longer delay without greater costs in the future. If we do not pass our bond issue this year, our local share will go from 29 percent to 32 percent. This would increase our costs locally by about one million dollars. Matching money currently available from the state coupled with historically low interest rates will allow the district to make the required improvements while maximizing the return on our investment.

Some may feel that now is not the right time. I believe there is never a wrong time to support the education of our children. For each $100,000 of appraised home value, property owners will pay approximately $231 annually. Property owners 65 and older will pay about $173 annually. For farmers and landowners who use CAUV reduction, the additional, cost will be approximately $2.25 per acre per year. Personally, I believe that the education of our children and the continued success of WL-S is worth the investment.

As adults we arrive at our place of work and desire the appropriate working environment and tools necessary to perform our job efficiently. We should expect nothing less than the same for our children as they embark upon their educational careers.

Join me in showing our students that we are concerned for their safety. Join me in showing them that we believe in their potential. Join me in providing them with the support they require to succeed. Join me in supporting the future of our community by saying "yes" to our WL-S students.

Dennis Sanford

West Liberty

How very fortunate we live in the greatest country in the world. We are given opportunities to choose the path our country, state, county, school district and community will take through a valuable constitutional right called voting by the people. So how do we decide how to vote? We look at what the issues are and how each affects us. We seek facts and gauge how trustworthy the information might be.

One big opportunity in point happens to be school issues on the ballot. We all live in a school district where voters select representatives to speak up for us concerning our school. Those people are our board of education individuals. They are all elected officials with the task to give us the facts, weigh the issues, discuss the needs of our school, then determine when community voters need to step in and help. Our board of education members are our neighbors, friends, relatives and financial contributors just as we are to the school.

West Liberty-Salem School Board members are asking for our help to support much needed improvements to the school. Please view the Web site for the detailed list of needs, but one that stands out to me is the security issues facing all schools today. We could never put a price on an individual's life, but we can come up with a price that will help deter and protect our school's inhabitants.

As I had shared with you for several years, the roof on the school building will continue to nickel and dime our school district until it is replaced.

WLS School Board, administrators and core community members have been working hard to come up with the best deal for our school district. They have the state paying for these much needed improvements by the tune of 71 percent. A true shopper would say that is a bargain.

Please join me in using the state's 71 percent off coupon and voting yes for West Liberty-Salem Schools in November.

Linda Sparks

WLS Retired

President Barack Obama seems to believe he has an exemplary record of job creation. This astonishes me. Amid all the hype about his professed interest in creating new economic opportunities, he seems to have forgotten SJR 37, which would have rolled back many overreaching EPA regulations. President Obama stated in a 2008 news interview that he would do what he could to "bankrupt the coal industry." He sure has made good on this promise.

The Obama EPA agenda has set unattainable standards for the coal industry, causing many plants to begin closing before the 2015 deadline, and closing existing coal plants drives utility rates up even faster than deciding not to build new ones as the economy tries to grow. With the coal industry employing over 10,000 Ohioans and contributing an annual payroll of $1.2 billion, coal plant closures threaten to damage our state's economy. This industry is the livelihood of many communities throughout Ohio, while 80 percent of our electricity in Ohio is generated by coal. What happens when those jobs are wiped out as the EPA forces utilities to stop burning coal to generate power? More people will be out of work, while at the same time, energy rates will "necessarily skyrocket." How will so many out-of-work people pay their sky-high energy bills? And what, exactly, is the plan for making the lights go on in our homes when we flip a light switch? Seriously - what will make the lights go on?

Even more concerning is that Ohio's manufacturing competitiveness depends on low-cost electricity. Higher utility rates may lead to many more Ohio and American job losses outside the coal industry than within.

As a result of just one of many Obama policies, our state is already worse off than it was four years ago. I'm concerned about what could happen in another four years.

Tom Stacy

Zanesfield

I am now 80 plus and I have never seen so many political adds on TV or received so many phone calls. For one thing, I have received five polls from the Republican National Committee because of my past "activity" of which I have not participated. If they ever looked at my first reply they would not have sent me any more. I did not send any money to them either. The amount of money spent on campaigns by both parties could have been spent in many better ways. The American Association of Retired People have also sent me petitions to sign, for them to send to candidates of officeholders to protect Social Security and Medicare. There again, I replied twice with small donations but I get more in the mail that I just throw away.

Locally two persons have been called to Heaven by God after doing much to help the young people and local organizations. Kim Wagner "Wags" did a lot for the community, including serving on local and county boards. Phyllis Fitzpatrick also died recently. If you have ever attended a local high school sports event Phyllis was there with her bag of popcorn. She also served as a mentor for many athletes.

The Forum has printed several letters from men and women that have stated their own views. One recent letter written by Mr. Honeycutt listed many goals of communism that are being accomplished in America. I am not "brain dead" as he states, but I really disagree with his statements.

There is one local contest on which I would like to comment. The election of a judge should not be a political party issue but should be decided in favor of the one most qualified. Both candidates have done much to prove their qualifications. Bridget Hawkins is a member and elder in the local First United Presbyterian Church. Her background of 20 years as a trial attorney, 17 years as a guardian ad litem, military service and as a certified domestic relations mediator qualifiers her as a person who should become judge.

Jim Collins

Bellefontaine

Now is a time for hope and faith. I am a farmer. This summer there were days when I was afraid I was not going to have a crop to harvest. The month of July was the hottest July on record. It was a drought. In 2011 we had 25 inches of rainfall in two months, April and May. It was a flood. Each year there was at least some crops to harvest because farmers planted seeds hoping to make a crop.

Planting seeds is an act of faith in order to bring about the desired result. One thing is certain; if seeds are not planted there will not be a crop to harvest. No hope, no acts of faith, no crop. The same holds true for our community and our school system.

What do you hope for? If we, collectively, pass the WLS bond levy the tax payments we will make each year are an act of faith just like planting seeds. I call the payments seed money. Seed money makes possible the harvest. The harvest will be the best possible facility we can afford. The facility will present itself as a true representation of the pride this community holds for its culture. It will be a lifelong reminder to former students of their roots. The school will welcome and serve the entire WLS community.

Have hope. Exercise faith. Plant seeds. Vote yes for the WLS bond levy.

Stephen Lapp

Board of Education

West Liberty

I have known Dan Bratka for more than 20 years, serving with Dan in the United States Air Force Reserves from peace time through times of peril during Operation Iraqi Freedom.

I first met Dan when he was a young lieutenant leading a squadron of security forces men and women as their squadron commander, later rising to the rank of Lt. Colonel as an Air Force JAG officer.

Dan treats people fairly and respectfully.

His honesty and integrity will serve the people well in the position of judge.

Please consider the choice of Dan Bratka for judge on election day.

Walter L. Dodson,

MSgt. USAFR (ret.)

First Sergeant

This election is first and foremost about the economy. Based on this, I cannot vote for Barack Obama for the following reasons:

1. We are now over $16 trillion in debt. This is inexcusable and there is no sign that the president is willing to curb his spending. Obamacare will not only increase the deficit but will also increase taxes which will hit the middle class. Candidate Obama stated that if he couldn't cut the deficit in half during his first term he would not deserve reelection. So be it.

2. Our true jobless rate is higher than the 7.8 percent that was recently released. There are millions of Americans out of work, under employed or who have given up on finding jobs. Our president has never held a private sector job and does not know how to encourage private sector jobs.

3. For the first time in our history, the credit rating of the United States has been degraded twice during this administration. We went from AAA to AA and now we are at AA-. If we cannot control our spending we could get downgraded again.

4. There has not been a federal budget during Obama's presidency. The Democrats controlled the White House, Congress and the Senate during Obama's first two years. If Obama could not get a budget passed then, he clearly does not deserve another term.

5. Family incomes have dropped eight percent since Obama took office. Healthcare costs have increased even though Obama promised if his Affordable Care Act passed, healthcare premiums would fall.

6. Gas prices have increased 100 percent.

7. Entitlements continue to increase - over 46 million people are now getting food stamps. Medicare recipients have increased significantly. We need jobs.

8. Obama has stifled our gas, coal and oil production. Rather than encouraging domestic production, Obama is sending money to other countries to help them develop their energy resources. This is not only bad business - we should be in competition with these countries - it continues our dependence on foreign energy supplies. We need the jobs these industries would provide.

9. Obama has shipped jobs and stimulus money to other countries. Obamas jobs czar, Jeffrey Immelt, shipped thousands of jobs to China even though his company GE received stimulus dollars. And who can forget Solyndra and all the green energy jobs that took stimulus money then either folded or moved to another country?

10. Obama is working for the unions, not the workers. Had GM filed bankruptcy and restructured, they could have saved jobs while we could have avoided the debt this caused our government. What happened to the GM stock the government purchased? It was given to the unions.

These reasons are all economic but there are more regarding foreign policy and "leading from behind," tax codes, "Fast & Furious," and our standing as a world leader.

Diane J. Hager

Bellefontaine