Logger alumni urge passage of vote to support schools May 7

Letter to the Editor,

As proud Libby Logger alumni, we love our town. We received a great education here and have been able to return to teach the next generation of Loggers.  

As we grew up, our sawmills closed, our loggers lost their livelihoods and the impact of vermiculite was recognized.  We come from families that have been affected by these realities, and we see it every day in the faces of our children. 

Along with everyone else, our schools have tightened and retightened belts. One third of our staff has been cut, three schools have been closed because of consolidation and programs have been trimmed. We are proud that we have been able to do this while maintaining the highest graduation rate in the state.   

We currently face a budget deficit. The district has addressed one-half of the shortfall. We will be reducing current staff and slashing budgets to the bone. We need to pass this mill levy to cover the second half of the shortfall.   

Without the levy, there will be drastic cuts affecting additional educational and extra-curricular programs, as many as five additional positions could be eliminated, and our school’s accreditation could be jeopardized. 

We are committed to keeping the high-quality, educational tradition our town expects of our schools.   We also want to help find a solution to our jobs issue – whether it is the return of environmentally sound logging and milling, mining or other business opportunities.    When someone looks to Libby as a place to build a business or raise a family, we want to assure them that their children will benefit from being raised in our community with a high-quality school system – just like we did.    

Please support the mill levy on May 7.

— Libby Logger Alumni Staff,

 Lacie Farmer, Jay Graham, Wendy Chopyak, Sam Hannah, Terri Rowan, Michelle Foss, Jonathan England, Jeff Gruber, Patty Rambo, Georgina Woody, Mary Miller, Dean Herreid, 

Jerry Mee, Linda Shilling , Ken Foss, Ann Grotjohn, 

Kathy Sauby, Joan Stern, Karen Foss, Lenora Reckin