Consolidation should be placed on November ballot

To the Editor:

On Friday, June 20, Houghton Judge Charles Goodman ruled to remove the consolidation vote from the August primary election. His decision was no surprise; it was a certainty before the marathon hearing began.

The more surprising information came from Superintendent Dave Radovich’s incredulous comments after the hearing. He attempted to spin the sustained effort by the Bessemer School Board to block consolidation and the resultant voter fallout with confusing remarks.

Note Radovich’s comments. A June 21 Daily Globe article reported:

“Dave Radovich, Bessemer’s district administrator, said he hopes now that the question is removed, it will help with some of the wedges that have divided the two communities. ‘I think now we are going to look for public input,’ he said. ‘What direction do they want us to go? Do they want us to look at consolidation? Do they want us to pursue pairing and sharing more, or a combination of both? But I think, hopefully now, the process will be controlled by the two school boards and it will be done in a very methodical, thoughtful and safe way for our districts and our kids. I think above all we protected our kids today.’”

Radovich and the Bessemer board are suffering from the “Anything But Consolidation” syndrome. A simplistic remedy for both boards would be to place the issue on the November ballot.

For the November ballot, Aug. 12 is the deadline for the board, and for petition, the deadline is July 29, according to Gogebic County Clerk Gerry Pelissero.

Vince Polkus

Bessemer