Letters (June 30, 2010)

Input requested re: city funding issue

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The editor wrote a very interesting editorial in the paper this week (June 23). As a city councilman I would like to help all the groups that request money, but budget constraints just don?t allow us that freedom.

I think helping Communities In Schools, the Senior Center and Main Street Ministries would be the right thing to do. People get ill, they get laid off work and health problems can affect their income to a great degree. If I was in that situation I would like to be able to receive help for my family if I needed it.

I should not have lumped everyone who receives help into the same category of people that I used to have to deal with (as police chief). I think that problem can be dealt with by seeing how any money given by the city is used by CIS, the Senior Center and other groups.

I want to add that I think CIS does an excellent job, and so do these other groups. It might be noted that I hope to be a member in good standing at the Senior Center, as we are all going to get there at one point?or at least I hope so.

I would like to hear from the people in Hillsboro as to how they would like the city to respond to these requests. We can raise the mill levy, cut other budget items or do nothing at all.

I?m just asking for myself and not the other council members. I would appreciate it if people would contact me by phone or in person and let me know how they feel. I would like to hear the pros and cons.

I feel since we are dealing with taxpayer money the citizens of Hillsboro should have the most input in this situation, so please contact me.

Also, I?m in favor of the rescue truck for the fire department. I think when you deal with public safety issues you should try to do the things that will be helpful to the victims.

As is always stated: ?You can?t put a money value on human life.?

Byron McCarty

Hillsboro

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Goessel FFA chapter asks for farmers? help

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Members of the Goessel FFA chapter would like to see more of the global agriculture market. Through expansion of their state-championship-earning Student Develop Programming, the Goessel FFA is planning an international travel seminar for agricultural education students. The objective is to develop a three-year rotational program that will offer sophomore-seniors at Goessel High an international experience to experience a difference culture and to understand the global agriculture industry as early as 2013.

The members are asking local farmers for their help. Monsanto has developed a program to give one FFA chapter or other non-profit organization from a group of pre-selected counties nationwide a $2,500 grant. Both Marion and McPherson counties are listed as eligible counties. Farmers can nominate the FFA chapters online by July 31.

The program works like a drawing. All the nominations will be pulled together by a third party and one group will be selected at random.

Farmers with at least 250 acres of corn, soybeans or cotton can nominate chapters by filling out a short application online at growcommunities.com.

Farmers that do not currently have 250 acres in corn, soybeans or cotton but do on a rotational basis, you can still nominate. Not all the acres have to be in the same county.

Farmers can apply by logging onto growcommunities.com. The designated recipient blank is ?FFA? and the Recipient/Organ?iza?tion Name blank is ?Goessel USD 411 FFA Chapter.?

John Bergin, FFA adviser

Goessel High School

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