Siloam Springs students receiving quality education
After retiring from the Siloam Springs School District last year, I have had some time to reflect on the quality of education that our students here receive.
Progressive, student-centered, and continuously improving -- that's the impression I have. Nothing makes our hometown educators more proud than seeing growth and accomplishment in their students.
Staff and administrators act as models for effective cooperation and have a higher purpose for learning. Kudos to all, including parents, who contribute to this effort.
Cops, cars excessive in Watts
On Monday, April 20, 2015, I presented the Watts, Okla., town clerk with a freedom of information request. I asked for information pertaining to the number of traffic tickets written in Watts for the last 15 months and the amount of money they generated through the court system. I also requested the total amount of revenue, from all sources, the city had in those same 15 months and the number of full- and part-time cops working for the town.
That information has not been given to me. The town clerk informs me that if I have any questions she has been instructed by the city attorney, Ralph Keen, to have me direct any questions I may have to him. I have no questions for him. All my questions were listed in my FOI request. I presented that request to the custodian of the records, who is the city clerk.
Oklahoma law prohibits a town from generating more than 50 percent of its income from traffic tickets. Watts has not a single store in operation within the city limits so it appears that almost all of the town revenue is generated from motorists traveling the highway through Watts.
Apparently Watts has three full-time and five part-time cops. The town has four cop cars. Since Watts has a population of only about 300 people, four cop cars and eight cops seems rather excessive.
The town even runs two cop cars on the highway at the same time. More than once I have seen two cops having two motorists pulled over simultaneously.
If Watts keeps working the highway they will wind up like West Siloam Springs with 12 cops and 12 cop cars.
People watch what is happening and complain about it. Nobody is willing to try and do anything to stop the highway robbery.
If people would fight the tyranny, Watts and West Siloam could both be banned from writing any tickets on the highways running through the towns. The state has the power to do just that and they have done it previously with other towns.
Evil prevails when good men do nothing. Are there any good men out there?
Editorial on 04/29/2015