Kids First Monadnock!

[From the Keene Sentinel Letters Page, Saturday, March 8, 2008]

To The Sentinel:

I would like to take the opportunity to encourage the voters of the Monadnock Regional School District to support the teachers’ and support-staff contracts (articles 3 and 4).

I am currently a member of the budget committee and have just about completed my three-year term.

In the past, I have not always supported the support-staff and teachers’ contracts for various reasons (primarily health insurance and early retirement issues).

However, I do support both contracts this year. They were negotiated in good faith and have addressed both the early retirement and health insurance concerns.

Both sides have made compromises and thought about the interests of the district’s families to put together a contract that is beneficial to all.

I would also encourage the voters to support the operating budget by voting “yes” on article 1 and also support the maintenance issues (articles 5 and 6).

I ask the voters when voting for our school board and budget committee members to please elect candidates that will do what is best for the students and families of our community.

That does not necessarily mean someone who is automatically going to say yes or say no to everything that the boards make a decision on. It means supporting someone who is going to ask tough questions, someone who will have accountability and someone who will follow through to make improvements to our district.

Please vote for candidates that do not have pre-determined agendas; rather, choose candidates who will vote independently and who will make sure that our district’s limited resources are used in a way that it will give the most possible benefit to our children.

Please take the time to educate yourself on the candidates running for these positions and know what they stand for before casting your vote.

Please get out and cast your vote on March 11.

ERIC STANLEY
P.O. Box 10064
Swanzey