Letters to the editor for Friday, March 20, 2015

Find money in budget for WNC athletics

It is appalling to learn the Western Nevada College Wildcats athletics program’s survival is in peril unless future funding is secured. Why do taxpayer dollars fund high school sports and university sports, but do not fund our community college sports programs? Why does this gap in funding exist?

According to the National Junior College Athletic Association, “The NJCAA believes that athletics enhance community college life and bring more students and more money to the colleges. Community colleges that offer intercollegiate sports regard the athletics programs as an integral part of the education they offer. An eloquent explanation of the value of intercollegiate sports competition in the community college setting was given by California’s Commission on Athletics: Sports are educational in the best sense of that word because they teach the participant and the observer new truths about testing oneself and others, about the enduring values of challenge and response, about teamwork, about discipline and perseverance. Above all, intercollegiate contests — at any level of skill — drive home a fundamental lesson: goals worth achieving will be attained only through effort, hard work and sacrifice, and sometimes even those will not be enough to overcome the obstacles life places in our path.” (http://www.communitycollegereview.com/articles/10).

Education coupled with vibrant sports programs provide innumerable positive benefits to create a healthy and thriving community and state. The Nevada State Budget should fund the community college sports programs throughout the State of Nevada.

Sincerely,

Dr. Jonathan C. Palm and Joan Polichio-Palm

Carson City

Mayor of Ely weighs in on SB238

On your reporting of the SB238 bill to disincorporate the City of Ely, I felt some very important facts were omitted. Here are some reasons for this action.

The City of Ely has the bragging rights when it comes to fiscal responsibility. We may be small and isolated, but the City of Ely has stayed fiscally solvent through recurring mine closures and widespread economic downturns; this has not always been the case with White Pine County, as the Nevada Department of Taxation took over its management in 2006 due to financial defaults. Now at the end of the first quarter of fiscal year 2014, the county was forecasting a $1.2 million deficit.

Cities all around the country are being disincorporated due to the fact they are in serious financial condition and have no other choice but to disincorporate. The City of Ely is solvent with a cash position of $9 million. This whole issue sounds like a money grab by the county. Maybe the city should take over the county ...

Due to financial difficulties of the Railroad Foundation, the city contracted for a forensic audit. This action caused an initial recall of the City Council and mayor that failed, and now this bill SB238? They’re throwing the last “Hail Mary” at us, what’s next? We will keep fighting, do our due diligence, and protect our home.

Thank you,

Melody Van Camp

Mayor of Ely