Now is the time to take action for our schools

My family moved to Pontiac in 1953, and we have been in the resort and tourism business here ever since. My wife, Johnna Luna Morgan, and I are both Gainesville graduates, and both of my children attended and graduated from Gainesville. I served on the Gainesville school board off and on for 14 years between 1980 and 1999.

 During my time on the school board, I worked with five different superintendents, beginning with Benton Breeding and ending with Bryan Silvey. In the early years, when we needed a couple of new classrooms, the building trades class would add them on to the end of the building, usually right out of the budget without any additional increase in taxes. It was great. But that was then, and this is now. Things have changed drastically.

 Our schools are in desperate need of improvements, additions and increased safety measures. The list is extensive and has been published and talked about for weeks. Dr. Jeff Hyatt, our superintendent, has experience in school-building projects, and I believe he is the right person to head up this project. Now is the time to take action.

 Next Tuesday we have the opportunity to do what the citizens of our neighboring school districts have done. Vote YES on Proposition Gainesville Bulldogs. Let’s give our children, our grandchildren, our neighbors’ children—our future members and leaders of our community—a school they can be even more proud of and feel safe in for years to come.

 I’m a homeowner, landowner and business owner. My taxes will increase, but I am willing to pay my share so that those things can happen. I will be voting YES on Tuesday. I urge you to do the same.

Tim Morgan

Pontiac