OP/ED

FIVE POINTS

WENDELL LENHART NCMDA

INVESTMENT PAYING OFF

I believe the statement made by Nestlé this week, although it said nothing definite, is good news for our community and the future.

Rumors had been circulating in and around Trenton about a possible expansion at the plant and even though the statement was non-committal, when I read between the lines I think it’s going to be a positive addition to the plant at some point in the future. It re-emphasizes how important the Nestlé plant is to Trenton and the surrounding area.

I remember well in early 2017 when the thenowner of the plant, ConAgra, announced that they would be closing the facility and the jobs of some 350 employees would be gone. The loss of jobs, along with tax revenues and utility sales, would have been devastating to our community and surrounding area.

Fortunately, the newly-formed North Central Missouri Development Alliance was able to take on the task of finding a solution to the impending closing of the facility.

Through the efforts of many public and private individuals which were coordinated by thenNCMDA Director Micah Landes and Interim Director, the late Phil Tate, work began to avert what would have been a catastrophic event.

A little over a year later, in July of 2018, all of these coordinated efforts resulted in a ribbon cutting at the plant announcing Nestlé as the new owner of the food production facility.

Nestlé has continued to improve and increase production at the Trenton plant and I believe this most recent statement is another step in that direction.

The NCMDA is funded by a partnership of the Grundy County Commission and the City of Trenton, which provide funding for a director along with contributions from other private partners.

It’s hard to always see the benefits of that investment from year to year but if the Grundy County Commission and the Trenton City Council needed a reason to justify the money they have invested in economic development, this is it.

Without the work of NCMDA and the investment by the county and city, Nestlé would not have become a part of the community and we certainly wouldn’t be able to read the positive statement we’ve gotten this week.

I remember back when the announcement was made in 2018 writing that NCMDA was an investment and that it would pay dividends in the future.

We’re just starting to see those dividends coming to fruition now in our community.

The Reagan Edict: Trust, But Verify

Adam Crumbliss, Director of Community and Public Health, Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services

I grew up in the heart of Missouri Republicanism. I’ve clung to the common sense values of my hometown of Joplin. These values are best articulated by the President of my youth, Ronald Reagan. “The most terrifying words in the English language are: I’m from the government and I’m here to help.”

Fast forward several years. I spent 20 years of my career working for the Republican-controlled statehouse before moving to the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services. I’ve never lost my Show Me skepticism, and my work is guided by another Reagan quote, “Government’s first duty is to protect the people, not run their lives.”

The political left is wrong to believe that government can ‘solve COVID,’ while the political right is wrong to suggest nonsense conspiracy theories that COVID isn’t real or vaccines cause it.

More than 638,000 Americans have died from COVID. That is nearly the same number of American combat deaths in the American Civil War, World War I, World War II, the Korean War, the Iraq War, and the Afghanistan War combined.

In the COVID battle, Reagan’s maxim says it all for me: “We can’t help everyone, but everyone can help someone.”

Last year, I was blasted by a city newspaper for allegedly downplaying COVID in a social media post I wrote when Missouri had 8 COVID deaths. Ironically, the post said, ‘I’m not down playing the impact of COVID. To the contrary, it’s a stark reminder about our fears that it is outside of our span of our control.’

Fear is a powerful motivator. Be skeptical of those in and out of government that try to scare you into getting a vaccine. But, I hope to appeal to your better angels and suggest getting it.

As a leader of Missouri’s team responsible for coordinating public response and vaccine efforts, we have been careful to not support fear-mongering or catering to the lowest common denominator.

I do believe data that shows the current Delta variant deluge in Missouri is real, is twice as infectious as last year, and is more likely to impact children and the unvaccinated. I keep a ReaganBush campaign button that says, ‘the time is now,” and on COVID vaccines I certainly believe that.

Reagan was right. Government isn’t the solution. The American people are.

For those skeptical or opposed to the vaccine, only be so because of facts and avoid nonsense. When was the last time your auto mechanic gave you golden financial advice? Stop listening to conspiracy theorists and pundits.

Talk to your doctor. If you don’t have one, find one that is a straight shooter with good character. Make an informed decision that is best for you and your loved ones.

For those that want others to get the vaccine, don’t pester, condescend, and belittle. These are our brothers and sisters, neighbors, church family, and friends.

In the end, government won’t solve this problem, but as Reagan said, everyone can help someone.

GUEST EDITORIAL

Boards

• From Front Page • School Principal Brent Burke said he is projecting the high school enrollment to be around 173 or 174 students, which is up slightly from last August’s enrollment of 171. At Gallatin Middle School, Principal Justin Collins is projecting enrollment to be down somewhat to around 145 but, he said, bigger classes are coming down the road. Collins said the emphasis this year at GMS will be on social/emotional development that can benefit students academically, professionally and socially. Covel D. Searcy Elementary School Principal Nicole Thogmartin said enrollment at the elementary building stands at 268 students at this point, up 23 from last year. She reported on plans for “Back to School” Night and the red carpet event for kindergarten students as well as the upcoming Title I Advisory Board meeting scheduled for Tuesday, Aug. 31. The elementary staff, she said, will be focused on addressing the achievement gaps that have occurred due to COVID-19.

Activities Director Barron Gann gave an update on the preliminary numbers for sports teams, which include football, 36; softball, 16; golf, 9; band, 40; varsity cheerleading, 13; and middle school cheerleading, 8. The softball team will participate in a jamboree at 3 p.m. on Friday, Aug. 20 at Milan, with the football team participating in a jamboree that evening at 6 p.m. at Plattsburg.

In action items, the board set the 2021 tax levy at $4.2984 for the incidental fund and .1725 for capital improvements, for a total rate of $4.4709 on the $100 assessed valuation. Dr. Copple said the rate is a two-cent reduction from last year. Bus routes were approved and the board adopted Option A of the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education’s Model Compliance Plan for Special Education.

Board members held an executive session to discuss personnel, after which they voted to hire Chelsey Smith and Carol Stewart as cooks and to offer the part-time position (550 hours) of process server to Carrie Cook.

The next regular meeting is scheduled for Wednesday, Sept. 15 in the high school library. Spickard R-2

Spickard R-2 board members approved a COVID-19 policy for staff members and set the tax levy at its meeting held Monday evening.

According to information provided by Superintendent Erica Eakes, the board approved employees being deemed essential, which means that if an employee has a known exposure but is not exhibiting symptoms, they may come to school, but will be required to wear a mask for 14 days. They will need to be tested at the three- to five-day mark and if the results are negative, they may resume normal activities. If the test is positive or the employee begins exhibiting symptoms, the employee will be sent home for a 10day isolation period. If an employee is quarantined or becomes ill due to an exposure through the school, sick days will not be deducted; however if the employee is quarantined or becomes ill from an out-ofschool exposure, sick days must be used and once exhausted, the leave will be unpaid.

Board members approved budget items for the ESSER III funds that will be coming, with 20 percent of the funding to be used to address learning loss needs for students. There will be a focus on improving technology in the building and implementing benchmark assessments to track student progress and plan remediations.

In action items, Jasmine Hall was hired as a fulltime paraprofessional and the board set the 2021 tax levy at $4.6604 on the $100 assessed valuation. Student, faculty and staff handbooks were approved as well as the Positive Behavior Support Plan. Bus routes, which will remain the same as last year, were approved as was the After School Specialized Tutoring Program to begin in October. The discipline policy was left unchanged and board members gave approval to the Annual Secretary of the Board Report. The board adopted the model Special Education Local Compliance Plan from the state and agreed to leave substitute pay the same as last year, $85 per day.

In her report, Mrs. Eakes reviewed construction projects, indicating that the carpet installation and Epoxy floors have been completed, one-half of the heating and cooling units have been installed and the playground fence has been repaired. She said that of the 32 students enrolled this year, 29 were able to attend the Supply Night hosted by Bright Futures Trenton on Aug. 12. PTO members and volunteers will meet on Aug. 20 at 9 a.m. for a grounds cleanup and Open House is scheduled for 5:30 to 6:30 p.m. Aug. 24, with community and parents invited. Classes begin on Aug. 25, with an early out at 1 p.m. There is no school on Monday, Sept. 6 due to the Labor Day holiday.

The next regular meeting is scheduled for 6 p.m. Monday, Sept. 20.

Newtown-Harris

Newtown-Harris R-2 board members set the district’s tax levy and approved an increase to lunch prices during a meeting held Friday, Aug. 13.

According to information provided by Superintendent Dr. Lucas McKinnis, the board discussed plans for re-opening. The Safe Return to In-Person Instruction and Continuity of Services Plan located on the district’s website indicates that masks will not be required to begin classes in the district on Tuesday, Aug. 24.

The board voted to set the tax levy at $6.6331 on the $100 assessed valuation as had been proposed. Also approved was a 10-cent increase to lunch prices. Meal prices for the 2021-22 school year will be kindergarten through sixth grade - breakfast, $1.70, lunch, 2.45; seventh through 12th grade - breakfast, $1.80, lunch, $2.60; adult - breakfast, $2.35, lunch, $3.35; and reduced - breakfast, 30 cents, lunch, 40 cents. Extra milk for any meal will cost 35 cents.

Board members voted to utilize the company Research to Practice for school speech language pathologist services and voted to continue the Parents as Teachers program. Megan Brown, guidance counselor, was named as the migratory/ESL coordinator and board members approved the Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point Plan. Also approved was the Annual Secretary of the Board Report, the 2021-22 computer usage policies, the teacher handbook, student handbook, discipline policy and drug policy as well as the bus maintenance agreement with the Princeton R-5 School District.

Several persons were approved as bus drivers, including Ron Hall, Danny Busick and Sandy Busick routes; Linda Hague as a substitute; and Caleb Fairley and Mike Otto, for athletics.

Following an executive session, the board approved the hiring of Samantha Pesquiera as social studies instructor.

The board is scheduled to meet again Sept. 13.