To the editor:

Let me start by saying I have never voted against a school bond, but I find the bond issue up for vote on Sept. 11 deserves a no vote. I find the bond issue ill planned and literally forced upon the taxpayer with no other options discussed.

I am a graduate of the Barnum High School and have lived in this district the past 35 years. I have served on a past school board and understand some of the issues facing them. But make no mistake, this is a misguided bond that makes no sense.

As I understand, this started with a request for three additional classrooms for the high school. It has ballooned into a $8.8 million bond that adds eight new classrooms, four new shop areas for votech, remodel of two areas into classrooms and some smaller repair and replace.

All the while the school board votes to obtain a new office building — $140,000 –and remodel that office to the tune of $80,000 — while still not securing three new classrooms. Hearsay has it more dollars are needed to repair a wet basement of this new office, cost unknown.

Promises made in the past about some additional repairs have been neglected. This seems to be the second or third time those repairs have been put aside.

The MNW school board, superintendent and staff should be accountable to the taxpayers of this district. A flash bang video program and a bean counter (accountant) on a phone call looks like a poor way to sell a bond issue. Some of the issues facing the MNW school district should be looked at with many options, investigation and input from patrons, not just money and new buildings.

Although the economy seems to be booming, a significant portion of the agricultural economy is suffering. Tariffs and trading with our neighbors has not been resolved. Fixed-income families in the district do not need the strain of a bond issue.

It’s time to vote on Sept. 11 and I urge everyone to vote, but my vote will be no and I hope yours will be too.

Denny Dunbar

Barnum