FLOYD COUNTY — Reader still upset with school board

I am still in shock at the way our school board decided to balance their budget shortfall on the backs of elementary students and unclassified employees. All done behind closed doors, with no input from the community, at record speed!  

The lowest paid employees in the school system face losing benefits and health insurance in 2012. Teachers and administrators would not be asked to participate in this type of reduction, nor should anyone else.

The highest performing elementary school in the district — Galena — has been rewarded with a lock for their door. Silver Street, an Exemplary School, was deemed worthy of a visit by the president of the United States. They got a lock for their door too. School administrations for 95 years, even through the Great Depression, found a way to keep it open. Not this bunch!

Elementary schools will sacrifice sports, orchestra and choir too. We will get to put fifth graders on buses at 6:30 a.m., with high school kids, as they make their way to middle school. Nothing points to any educational benefits of these moves.

High schools seem exempt to sacrifice to balance the budget. Six-figure work orders continue at Floyd Central. We've already had to ask the state to help with utilities with the new, larger school. The Board is still buying up property around Hazelwood. A few administration jobs were eliminated, but most will remain open but filled “judiciously.”  Does that mean they will be left open until someone's friend needs a new job? 

The 15 empty classrooms at Highland Hills will finally be filled now, but we cannot afford to operate three out of five swimming pools in the county. Where was the concern over finances when these decisions were made? 

On one hand we were told schools being saved had room for expansion, but on the other hand they are closing schools. Can you smell a tax increase coming?

When will we stop putting bricks and mortar over the well-being and education of our children. We fund classrooms 3 percent below state average. Where does that money go instead? 

Even the governor opposed our scheme to balance our budget. I urge everyone to vote in May. Learn as much as you can about the candidates running for open School Board seats. Look for people who will stand up for children and not be just a rubber stamp for the administrators. We can do better Floyd County. 

— Mark Jelenchick, Georgetown





Resident : Think of traffic before placing election signs

It is election time again and new signs are appearing every day. If you are putting up signs for your candidate, please check to be sure your sign is not obstructing the view of oncoming traffic.

The corner of Aebersold Court and Silver Street is a popular spot for signs of all kinds. Vans, SUVs and trucks are high enough to see over signs, but cars are not and the signs block the view of oncoming traffic. This is a real hazard in our area, especially before and after school when traffic is heavier.

Thank you for your consideration!

— Pam Prince, New Albany



Showcasing customer service

Lately, it seems as if everywhere you go, it is all about the bottom dollar. No one cares about the customer anymore. if they lose one, there will always be another to take his/her place. Customer service is now on the list with Latin and chivalry — dead. So, in a time where all are too willing to share the negative and good news is a minority, I would like to tell a story about not only good, but great customer service.

I have a tomato allergy, a real one. A lot of people claim food allergies just because they don't like something, therefore, many restaurants are in the habit of just pulling off the tomato and giving you the food anyway. For me that can mean a trip to the emergency room and perhaps a nice hospital stay, also. So, when my husband ordered lunch from Wicks in New Albany for me to run home and share with him one afternoon, you can imagine how upset I was to find tomato seeds all over the lettuce (and inside the box my food came in). And, it was written on top of the box “no tomato.”  When I got off work, I called Wicks and spoke with the general manager, David. I was so impressed with his concern over the incident. He was very adamant that they take allergies seriously. My jaw dropped.

I can't remember the last time I talked to the manager of an establishment who apologized. He not only did that, but showed genuine concern; not some scripted response taught during his training. He talked with me for a few minutes on the phone and then got down to resolving the issue. He told me he would replace my order and then paused and said that since I had intended to eat lunch with my husband and had been unable to do so, he would replace my husband's order also. He took our information and continued to talk with me. He talked about how he feels customer service is a lost art and how he wants people to keep coming back, shaking hands and smiling. He certainly made me smile.

He took a possibly bad situation and made the customer feel great and smile, while still wanting to return and do business at his establishment. I think David deserves to be congratulated on his customer service and how he runs his place of business. I also think he should open a school  for people in the line of customer service jobs. Many, many places could learn a great deal about how to keep their customers by spending some time at the New Albany Wicks!

— Mandie Hardesty, New Albany