If you read the paper, you know that the Commissioners and the Board of Education are presented with a decision on closing schools.

The largest growth of Carroll County was in the 70’s, 80’s, and 90’s.  Young couples came from Baltimore City and many nearby counties. They were drawn by our county’s beauty, the relative low cost of living, and our great schools.  They had kids who filled our schools. 

Things changed.    I remember going to public meetings where people actually stood up and yelled.   “The schools are filled.   The roads are crowded.   We must stop all this new development,”    The people doing the loudest complaining were those who had moved in in the previous five years.  What they were really saying was, “I moved to Carroll County because of the beautiful open farmlands and the rural character.   Now that I’m here, let’s stop anyone else from coming.”   They got their wish   Building moratoriums were put in place and the number of new houses dwindled to a fraction of their previous numbers.   Rules from the state increased the cost of building a house.   Sprinklers were made mandatory.   Septic tanks are now many times the cost of what they used to be because of a state rule mandating state of the art septic systems.

I am reminded of an old saying, “Be careful what you wish for.”

For the last decade or so, the number of new houses are down, and the people living in them the existing homes are older, and are not producing the kids to fill the schools.  

At public hearings and in letters to the editor, citizens are giving every reason they can think of to NOT close their favorite schools.

Having a job where you have to go outside the county , or just owning a business, often makes it hard, if not impossible, to attend public meetings.

Because of simple numbers, some schools will have to be closed.   Whatever your opinion, please take the time to write a personal letter to the commissioners and the Board of Education members.  They need to hear from you.

Larry Helminiak