March 27, 2024, R-C Letters to the Editor

School board misalignment

Editor:

As a concerned member of our community and parent of children in the school district, I feel compelled to shed light on a troubling trend within our local school board. 

While the rhetoric from board members often revolves around the safety and well-being of our children, recent actions suggest a misalignment between their words and deeds, with individual politics taking precedence over the genuine benefit of our kids. A recent example of this was the attempted hiring of a superintendent without proper vetting. 

Time and again, we’ve heard impassioned speeches from board members expressing their concerns for children’s safety and educational well-being within our schools. Yet, when it comes to translating these words into action, their commitment seems to wane, overshadowed by partisan agendas and personal interests. 

 As members of this community, we must hold our school board accountable for their actions — or lack thereof. We cannot afford to let partisan politics overshadow the fundamental responsibility of ensuring a safe and nurturing environment for our children to learn and thrive.

In light of recent events, I urge all county members to exercise their right to vote and actively participate in the upcoming elections. It’s imperative that we elect representatives who prioritize the futures of our children above personal agendas and political affiliations.

Furthermore, I implore our school board members to reevaluate their priorities and refocus their efforts on collaborating with the administration to implement effective policies. It’s time for them to set aside individual politics and work towards a common goal: educating the future of our community.

Together, let us demand accountability and integrity from our elected officials. Our children deserve nothing less than a school board that is fully dedicated to their safety, well-being, and academic success. 

Jennifer Wilson

Gardnerville

Your vote counts

Editor:

Most are aware that three Douglas County residents have been indicted by Attorney General Aaron Ford for forging false documents claiming they were the true Presidential electors for the State of Nevada. Apparently they believed that the 2020 Presidential election was stolen from Donald Trump and wanted to submit alternative electoral college documents. That begs the question — are elections “rigged” in Douglas County or anywhere else in Nevada?  What is the truth?

Douglas County Clerk-Recorder Amy Burgans, a registered Republican, has said that the 2020 and 2022 elections were the most secure elections we have ever had here in Douglas County. Ms. Burgans, certified by Auburn University as an “Elections Registration Administrator” the highest certification available for election administrators, has a well-trained team who check all walk-in voters and all mail-in ballots for signature authenticity – a system that validates one’s identity based on signature. If that signature is suspect the election worker may ask to see a photo ID. Ms. Burgans’ office also keeps a tight eye on voter registration rolls here in our county. Her office sends out voter verification letters to each registered voter at their registered address before each election and if returned the voter is made inactive. In addition, Nevada registrars use the National Database Electronic Registration Information Center. ERIC was created in 2012 to address a perennial problem all legislators care about: keeping voter rolls clean. ERIC’s  mission is to help states keep accurate voter rolls by tracking voters who move and report it to the state. Departments of Motor Vehicles also do this when one moves – sending a letter to the person at the new address verifying the notice they receive from another state’s DMV.

Data expert Ken Block, was hired by the Trump Campaign to investigate voter fraud in the 2020 election. Mr Block reviewed voter data from five swing states and analyzed more than 21 million voter records. About Nevada: “I would be remiss to not praise one state that makes its data reasonably available and avoids most of the problems other states suffer from. Nevada voter’s data is very clean – notably better than most other states. I have looked carefully at Nevada’s voter data several times and have not seen significant problems.”

Most recently a lawsuit has been filed by the Republican National Party questioning the number of registered voters in Douglas County versus the total population. The following was reported March 5 in this paper, saying the following: “It’s possible that Douglas County only gained 63 residents over the course of more than three years between April 1, 2020, and July 1, 2023, but most residents could well question that result. According to U.S. Census data released on Thursday, the county was home to 49,545 residents on July 1. That’s well below the Nevada Demographer’s estimate of 54,343 for July 1, 2023, which was an increase of almost 4,855 people over the same period of time, or almost 10 percent.” Who keeps track of this?

Deni Caster

Gardnerville

China Spring a necessity

Editor:

China Spring Youth Camp is a necessary part of a juvenile service program to habilitate and rehabilitate errant youth in a journey to adulthood and becoming a reasonable mature member of the community. 

The underlying question as always is one of needed services and available money. Children must be the priority of any functional society trying to provide for its own future citizens. Given the priority for the future of the community lies with youth, the necessity to fund programs is evident.

The funding cannot be delegated to sources not under the control of the those (Douglas County) running the program. Stable basic funding is needed to establish the continued survival of the programs. Only after basic funding is secure and the existence of the program is insured can secondary funding (Medicare, Medicaid, local grants, charges to other counties for services, and courts) be considered. 

It is critical to recognize that China Springs or a suitable alternative is necessary to fulfill the obligation of this community to its children and cannot be deferred or delegated to some other entity. It is our problem and must be resolved in favor of the continued existence of China Springs. It is also a statewide concern. China Springs fills a need for City, County and State services for the Court. They face challenges and a long-term solution to staffing and funding must be found. 

Programs for children must be the priority. Funding, although necessary, is a secondary concern. A mutually beneficial, cooperative approach is required to find a solution to the provision of critical services to the County, the State and the Court.

Steve Heggen

Gardnerville