The debate rages amidst the new water plant in Shenandoah which was affirmed by the Council several months ago. I've been hearing a lot of hardships regarding the increased taxes. This will be the focus of my post.
The economy is fragile and rumors are looming of an imminent secondary recession coming within months. This kind of news presses deep hardships on individuals and families. Finances have caused verbal as well as physical abuse within the home here in Shenandoah and abroad. This "virus" spreads and extends beyond the home. For the parent(s) who add to the income of the home they can easily become distressed and unhappy in the workplace. They may even lose grip on the drive to continue working thus submitting the household to divorce and/or family and government dependence.
Children are impressed upon by family affairs and issues of money are no different. The rising generation brings these hardships to the classroom by way of attitude and their work performance. Now, much has been touched on over the past year regarding local scores in our schools. Don't get me wrong. I'm not saying that the coming water plant is the cause of school scores. That would be totally uncalled for and misinformed. What I am saying is that the overall foundation of income and expenses in a home CAN and MAY BE a contributing factor to the productive performance of a student.
So where's the "win win" in all of this? First off, I announce that I do support the water plant project. I did not go through the existing plant when they had a public walk through a while back. In fact I was rather indifferent on the subject and searched for more opinions and input. One of the factors that tipped me in a direction of support is a story run in the Valley News. An individual was vehemently opposed to the project and did indeed attend the public viewing. He noted that only after seeing with his own eyes the dilapidated state of the facility did he reflect and saw the need of the new plant.
Why did this have an effect on me? Well, it's an example of humility. Most of us have strong opinions about various things but how many of us are open to different perspectives? How many of us actually seek more information? Here we have an individual who gained a new perspective in light of evidence which he sought. To me the effort and conclusion of this man carries more weight than those who strongly opine yet fail to seek an informed decision.
I support the project yet there are still things we can do to lighten the burden. We are still the Shenandoah community though many of us don't know each other. We are still "one" in many things and it's about time we acted like it. Utility taxes are high and it's no different for me. As a charitable concern for our neighbor and one another we need to seek alternatives in the way we live. Listed here are a few ideas which may help secure good feelings in the project, community and most importantly the home (which is the basic unit and foundation in the country in which we live) and perhaps the continuing education of our young.
The economy is fragile and rumors are looming of an imminent secondary recession coming within months. This kind of news presses deep hardships on individuals and families. Finances have caused verbal as well as physical abuse within the home here in Shenandoah and abroad. This "virus" spreads and extends beyond the home. For the parent(s) who add to the income of the home they can easily become distressed and unhappy in the workplace. They may even lose grip on the drive to continue working thus submitting the household to divorce and/or family and government dependence.
Children are impressed upon by family affairs and issues of money are no different. The rising generation brings these hardships to the classroom by way of attitude and their work performance. Now, much has been touched on over the past year regarding local scores in our schools. Don't get me wrong. I'm not saying that the coming water plant is the cause of school scores. That would be totally uncalled for and misinformed. What I am saying is that the overall foundation of income and expenses in a home CAN and MAY BE a contributing factor to the productive performance of a student.
So where's the "win win" in all of this? First off, I announce that I do support the water plant project. I did not go through the existing plant when they had a public walk through a while back. In fact I was rather indifferent on the subject and searched for more opinions and input. One of the factors that tipped me in a direction of support is a story run in the Valley News. An individual was vehemently opposed to the project and did indeed attend the public viewing. He noted that only after seeing with his own eyes the dilapidated state of the facility did he reflect and saw the need of the new plant.
Why did this have an effect on me? Well, it's an example of humility. Most of us have strong opinions about various things but how many of us are open to different perspectives? How many of us actually seek more information? Here we have an individual who gained a new perspective in light of evidence which he sought. To me the effort and conclusion of this man carries more weight than those who strongly opine yet fail to seek an informed decision.
I support the project yet there are still things we can do to lighten the burden. We are still the Shenandoah community though many of us don't know each other. We are still "one" in many things and it's about time we acted like it. Utility taxes are high and it's no different for me. As a charitable concern for our neighbor and one another we need to seek alternatives in the way we live. Listed here are a few ideas which may help secure good feelings in the project, community and most importantly the home (which is the basic unit and foundation in the country in which we live) and perhaps the continuing education of our young.
- A series of community workshops on thrifty living. This would include water conservation, home weatherization and even economical food consumption.
- Donate time, talents and effort to further the independent cause of Shenandoah families.
- Further examine and find alternate payment methods for water usage.
I support the water plant. There will never be a "good" time to further this effort. The current facility is extremely old and there comes a time when the long term benefits of total replacement outweighs the short term convenience of constant improvements and upgrades. Costs are not going to go down. If we don't accept this responsibility now it will be our children and grandchildren who will foot a larger bill in the future.
There is a "win win" and that's in conservation. Accept this project as a necessity for the future. Let us carry the expense by way of improved and skilled living habits in our own homes. The motion has been carried and now it's up to us as a family and community to decide how we will live and carry out to the finished product that we can all be proud of.
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