Move forward together as a community

I was so humbled to see the election night results that we had gotten enough votes to pass the Hospital Initiatives. The PAC members were jumping up and down and cheering! We had all worked so hard to get to that moment! This campaign has been hard fought on both sides. The Common-Sense PAC had some great advocates. Their voices were heard in the community, and I hope will continue to be heard. We need to continue to have conversations with those individuals in opposition to figure out why they feel that way, and make changes to incorporate their viewpoints as much as possible.

For some of them, this was a vote against paying more taxes. We need to look at the current tax structure and ensure that every tax is absolutely vital. There probably are districts that don’t need to pull their full 3 mills. One huge advantage of a district, though, is the grant funding that it allows, so when a district chooses not to collect its full three mills, the district also gives up the ability to apply for grant funding. This decision cannot be taken lightly. But, those in power in the County need to consider those who feel we need to cut back on taxes.

I am excited by the community members on the new hospital board. They have their work cut out for them. It is essential to keep in mind that the minority opinion is not represented on the board. The Common-Sense PAC has about 1/3 of our community, so the board needs to take those viewpoints into consideration. It is essential that the rights and voice of the minority be honored, while the rights of the majority to rule are being carried out. This is the only way that this community will begin to heal. There will never be a time that the entire community agrees on one plan of action. But, by educating the populous, I think we can get closer to consensus. They also need to take the fact that people have had bad experiences at the hospital seriously. There are people that voted no simply because they do not go to our hospital now and didn’t feel like they should pay extra on their taxes to help a facility that they choose not to utilize now. That should not be taken lightly. When people have a bad experience in such a small town, they tell their friends and neighbors. I hope that the board and staff will understand that with this vote we have shown that we, as a community, are behind them to support them. We know that having a hospital is a vital part of this community. However, as a vital part of this community they need to continually be in the process of making things better.

I have learned so much over the past year about the residents of our County and the hospital that serves us. One thing that really made the PAC work was that everyone brought their unique talents to the table. This has truly been a community effort, and I am honored to have been part of it.

For me, this vote is a reassurance that the majority of this community wants to be better! We want to invest in projects that bring jobs back. We want to stop the cycle of decline. We are tired of living where every third store has boards on the windows. We want to bring life back to this place that we love. This vote has shown that when these voices come together, we can accomplish anything! It is absolutely vital that we, as a community, recognize essential services and invest in them. It is also essential that we begin to move forward, and mend the broken fences that have grown between neighbors throughout this campaign. Even though we disagree on the best way to get there, most people truly do want what’s best for the community. We need to move forward together as a community. I now know that no matter what obstacle stands in our way, we can overcome it. This vote has shown us that.