Organizing Effort

Editor’s Note: Tommy Cook, who lives just south of Libby, has agreed to be the point person for Libby School District as it seeks to pass a mill levy during the May election. We asked Cook 10 questions. Here are his replies.

Q: Tell us, who is  Tommy Cook? 

A: I am a concerned citizen who believes having a sound education system is a key component to a thriving community. My wife and I have a son attending Libby Elementary and believe investing in our greatest resource, our kids, should be a top priority. I feel that as a community, we should be doing everything we can to prepare our students to be college and/or career ready. 

Q:Why have you agreed to step forward and serve as chairman of the Libby School District Mill Levy Action Committee?

A: Like many rural school districts across the state, the Libby School District is facing financial challenges as a result of decreased student enrollment, increased maintenance on aging facilities, and escalating operating costs. I fully support the levy and feel it is imperative that it passes to supplement steps taken by the district to maintain a viable school system. Because of this, I wanted to take the lead in organizing a committee to obtain facts about the state of the district and provide information to the public to promote the levy. 

Q:Explain how your duties as a conflict manager aid you in this process of pulling people together to reach a desired goal?

A: My job requires me to assemble teams for successful project execution. To that point, keeping objectives focused, evaluating the argument from all sides, and facilitating open communication between teammates have been key factors to success. There will certainly be opposing arguments and differences of opinions on the mill levy and why the district is in its current financial state. It will be necessary to evaluate everyone’s input and suggestions but keep focused on the goal of supporting our local schools through these difficult financial times. 

Q: You obviously believe and support this endeavor. How important is its passage for Libby and the children who are educated here?

A: The district is already planning to eliminate staff positions as a result of the budget shortfall. If the levy doesn’t pass, additional staff will need to be cut as well as school programs. I believe it’s critical to maintain a lower student-teacher ratio and continue to provide opportunities for Libby  students to become well-rounded individuals that are able to stake their place in today’s competitive global marketplace. 

Q: As you move forward, what are your strategies and just where are you in the process?

A: This group is currently in its infancy, taking the necessary steps to properly organize with the state. This process should be completed next week. The committee is tentatively named Citizens Promoting Libby Schools although the name has yet to be approved by the state. I have started making contacts with other community members and leadership about their interest in the committee and so far, feedback has been positive. We have reached out to other school district levy committees to gain from their lessons learned in running a successful committee. Once the committee is officially organized with the state, we will advertise for additional volunteers and support and work with the district and community to be as informative and transparent as possible on all the issues related to the levy.

Q: In any election there are people on each side of the issue, and the people in the middle will ultimately sway the outcome. How do you reach the people in the middle and win their support?

A: We will work with the district and administration to obtain accurate information related to budget issues and the consequences of not passing the levy. We will then work to get this information out to the community in a variety of forums so they can make an informed decision and try to address concerns from those who question the need for additional funding.

Q:There are those who will say teachers and educators already are compensated enough, and they should “give back” to help the district through these financial straits. How do you convince people otherwise?

A: The success of our children is a shared commitment for the entire community. The district has taken steps to reduce overall operating costs, including reduction in staff and extended days compensation. We should be looking at solutions to the financial shortfall that have the least impact to students as possible.

Q: Certainly, you have a vested interest in seeing the mill levy pass, can you share a personal experience in which you benefited from a program that may have been eliminated had a similar tax increase not passed?

A: I was educated in the public-school system, and I’m sure at some point during my school years, my community voted to support a school district mill levy.  I’m thankful they did. I think at some point, we have all been beneficiaries of some type of tax increase for community services such as emergency responders, parks and civic infrastructure. 

Q: What devices will you use to inform the public of the perceived need for this mill levy?

A: Once the committee is officially registered with the state and is financially able to do so, we plan to outreach to the community with newspaper articles and advertisements, radio announcements, information fliers as well as establishing a website and utilizing social media.  

Q:Finally, what do you see as the greatest challenges to overcome to get the mill levy passed?

A: A primary challenge will be convincing members of the community to support the levy if they believe the District has made poor decisions in the past or the issue will simply “fix itself.” Additionally, the district has many property owners who live out of town and citizens who may not have kids in the school system. Asking them to recognize they too benefit from a strong public school system may be a challenge.