As a homeowner in the Hollidaysburg School district I would like to express my sincere thanks to Dave and Becky Barger along with the entire WRTA staff and talk show hosts.  Your station provides a public service to this community that the many citizens do not realize.  You provide a platform for this community to communicate and let them know that they are not alone.  Keep up the great work.

 

I would like to also send out a thank you to all of the advertisers and sponsors of WRTA.  Without them the station could not operate and provide the priceless services as mentioned earlier. 

I always try to remember you sponsors and advertisers and if you can provide a service in which I am in need of undoubtedly you will receive my business.  You have endured the boycott scandal of the select board members and I call to this community to show your respect and do commerce with these brave businesses who stayed the course in standing with this station.  For those who pulled your advertising, and we all know who you are, you now see where the community stands and shame on you for bowing to the bullying of an out of control group.  Just remember people will part from their dollars to those who are willing to stand for their community.  I pulled my business from a candidate of the big blue spending crew of whom I was a client of.  That candidate believed it is the community’s responsibility to pay for non-educational activities.  Oh do I love capitalism!

 

A special thank you to those newly elected board members who have elected to sacrifice their precious family time to serve the tax payers and bring back fiscal responsibility to our children’s schools.  They have decided to take the helm knowing wholeheartedly that school districts all across Pennsylvania are sailing into troubled waters in which I will touch on in a minute.

 

I also would like to express my thanks to all of the citizens of this community who took the time out of their busy day to do their civic duty and vote yesterday.  You have taken the first step in taking back the purse straps but, I do feel we have only won a major victory in a long hard road ahead of us.  As I stated earlier our schools will be dealing in a major budget crisis within the next two years.  Our district is currently responsible for a portion of the teacher’s pensions promised and that responsibility will triple over the next two years.  I have seen our newly elected representatives as concerned citizens attending past meetings and providing the moral support for the few board members willing to consider making the necessary cuts needed.  Now more than ever as these newly elected pilots navigate through these troubled waters they will need your support at the meetings to achieve the necessary cuts while still providing a quality educational program for our children. 

 

Thank you to all and may you be blessed in your future endeavors.

 

Joe Mercer

Duncansville