It was not that long ago that Mr. Harter the Otsego School Board president stood in front of Weston town
council and asked for support on the new high school levy. His signed pledge to keep 3 elementary
schools in all 3 villages was a compromise plan.
He now says "times have changed" and boy, is he is right.
The high school came in on budget with leftover taxpayer money. That money could have kept the cost of
Phase 2 close to the 2 mills with the three separate elementaries the board had promised. Sorry Otsego.
None of this money was spent this way.
Since the high school was built, more land has been purchased at the central campus site. Why would you
do this? Did you ever plan on keeping your promise for three elementary buildings? Even then your plan
was not to keep that promise.
When the board hired Mr. Garber to be the new Otsego superintendent of Schools, his stated philosophy was
to create a central campus.
Why would you hire someone with this goal knowing full well you had pledged to your constituents that you
would keep three local elementaries? Or was that your goal all along?
Mr. Harter stated, since the last operating levy did not pass, the Otsego voters will not support a three
building plan. Really? Seriously? Did it occur to you that by stating you were going to close one
elementary building within a year even if that levy passed may have been what the voters were saying no
to?
Somehow, I just don’t think Mr. Garber and the Otsego School Board are getting it!
Debra Allen
Weston