WCMessenger.com: Inside Wise

Mixed Signals....

You can't blame the Decatur City Council for being confused about the need for a new 100-foot aerial ladder truck for the fire department. The truck is expected to cost almost $1 million.

For more than a year, Decatur firefighters have been looking at the trucks to select one to help protect the new five-story Wise Regional Health System, the new Decatur HighSchool and such big-box retailers as Wal-Mart and Lowe's.

At Monday's special meeting to buy a new chassis for a water tanker, the subject of the aerial ladder came up. Mayor Joe Lambert said the city needed to look forward over the next three or four years to building a new fire station, buying the ladder truck and building a new elevated water tower.

Firefighter Kyle Stephens, who was at the meeting, surprised the council when he said the new truck wasn't needed. To be specific, he said the truck would become "an expensive toy" that would just sit in the fire station.

The only other firefighter at the meeting, Capt. Cliff Oates, said nothing to refute Stephen's statement.

How do you protest?

Several people around here who think the public schools of Texas have great value found themselves in a corner in the Republican primary. Gov. Rick Perry and state Rep. Phil King, whose respect for the public schools is suspect, decided just to not vote in the governor or state representatives race.

Some carried that "silent protest" into one or more county-wide races. They understand it was a silent and ineffective action to leave no vote cast in those races, but they felt better for doing it.

Shhh, it's a secret ...

The Bridgeport School Board is interviewing eight candidates this week for the job of superintendent.

It is keeping those names secret because several of the candidates said they didn't want it to be known they were looking for jobs. Specifically, they didn't want their current employers to know they were looking elsewhere for employment.

That says something about those candidates. Specifically, it says they can't be trusted.

Build it and they will come ...

Critics say that's the mentality of the Boyd School Board if it moves ahead with a $20 million bond election for a new high school and athletic facilities. They say that the school population doesn't warrant any new structures.

The truth? They - meaning folks moving from the Metroplex to Wise County - are coming whether or not Boyd builds a school. Boyd simply has an opportunity to be ahead of the curve. Besides, a new high school is desperately needed - even if enrollment remains static or, even more unlikely, drops.

The school has made important strides forward in the past few years - primarily in communicating with parents. There's definitely a positive learning environment, according to parents we talked with.

The school board, for example, appears to be working together more effectively. That's a big change.

The decision to hold a bond election is difficult, primarily because it means property owners will have to pay a more in taxes. It's a tough sell because none of us like paying higher taxes.

In Boyd's case, new buildings are needed. The school board has also allowed citizens to become more actively involved in the decision process to seek a bond.

Inside Wise is written by Publisher Roy Eaton, Editor Skip Nichols, assistant Editor Brian Knox, special projects Manager Denny Deady, sports Editor Robert Morgan and reporters Keri Pritchard, Jeremy Martin and Don Munsch. The Messenger welcomes suggestions for Inside Wise.