By Beniamino Nardin, Harwood correspondent
The Valley Reporter talked to voters outside Waitsfield Elementary School after they cast their ballots on the $59.5 million bond. Here’s what voters had to say:
“I don’t agree with it. I don’t think it’s been thoroughly researched enough, for other ways to do it. There’s other options. I just think they always go to the easiest way, which is money, instead of looking at other options. I mean, it’s going to cost something, but you don’t have to do everything.”
“I support the bond because I support keeping our physical plant in decent shape. I was at Harwood for 21 years. I don’t want to see the building just collapse around its ears.”
“I think they should’ve done a little bit more, a little at a time, instead of one big thing.”
“What brought us around was the 10-minute video on the Harwood website. We know it was propaganda, but it showed how important this is for the future of the students.”
“As a former school board member and having been involved with education, I think it’s really important that we support these kinds of initiatives. I’ve learned about the bond through Front Porch Forum and The Valley Reporter, and I’ve been following the media discussions, back and forth, pro and con, and I voted pro.”
“As much as I want that school to improve, I don’t know if it’s the time, because of construction costs and those PCBs, that was very interesting to learn about. Why didn’t we do this 10 years ago?”
“I know the school is outdated in many ways. And I know that there’s some deferred maintenance that needs to be taken care of and improvements in order to keep pace with time. I believe that this bond will impact the next 25 years. Simply investing in education and young people is, I think, essential to the success and longevity of The Valley.”
