Tonight, I spoke at the school board meeting because it is important to me. It was not easy. It is never easy. It is literally easier to speak in front of a group of 400 to 500 colleagues because we know and can prove the information we are sharing. When it comes to personal beliefs, they are harder to defend because it’s the emotional side of life. 

I spoke about community and building small businesses. I spoke about how I defend and support their efforts in my daily work. I do believe that it is the future of our country and our national economy. At this point we need to invest in local owners and the residents should support these businesses in their home town. 

In turn, the businesses support the community. We actually have that in my “home town” – and where I live now with my family. We are hoping to preserve that here in our little Boro. 

I don’t like the idea of a mega school, which I would prefer to call a factory, but ours is too far along in it’s construction and there will (unfortunately) be a group of students who will go there. I just wish that it wasn’t a reality…

I believe that the community and the neighborhood environment will be forever changed if our local school closes. There will likely be less children and fewer families walking our streets to the park, the playground and school for the Spring Fair, Ice Cream socials and soccer games. In addition, there will be potentially less support of the community because it will not be “right here” and a visible part of our local community.  

A few years ago, the Boro turned down a Starbucks drive thru because they want people to stop and enjoy our little community. They may as well have allowed it if our new school board, allows our local elementary school to close. I am hoping that it will not come down to that, because then I would be pretty annoyed all over again that we don’t have a Starbucks AND we don’t have a local elementary school. 

Don’t misunderstand me… it took at least another year for the local pizza shop to apply for permits for that parcel and they have done a great job changing the landscape of the main intersection in town.

Most of the clients with whom I work, believe (even though they think it is kind of hokey) that it’s the emotional side of their customer that makes them successful and brings them back time and time again. I hope that the 9 people who control this decision heard and felt what we said, too. 

~ Dawn aka Hat Girl