Now What Do We Do?
By Mike Stegall 

Well, it is finally over!  The months of hard work, the angry words, the kind words, all the emotional responses, are done for a while.  The school levy has passed.  The margin of victory was far greater than anyone imagined, so it is fairly obvious that a majority of people wanted this to happen.  I for one was happy it passed.  

Now, after all the hype and the celebration, the cheering, the tears, and the other side feeling hollow and left out, I am reminded of what Thomas Jefferson said about the majority: “ All too will bear in mind this sacred principle: that the will of the majority is in all cases to prevail, and for that will to be rightful, must be reasonable; that the minority possess their equal rights, which equal law must protect, and to violate would be oppression.”   Thomas Jefferson knew that the majority has the ability to become oppressive, if not kept in check.  I am definitely not Thomas Jefferson, but I do know that the majority often takes the chance to gloat, and laud it over the minority.  Let’s not let that happen here.  Those of us who wanted the levy to pass have got our wish, we are happy, we feel relieved, we feel like real winners!  

Now, what about the minority?  Winning is one thing, following through graciously is another.  We must remember that 43% of those who voted did not want this levy to pass.  What about them?  They have a lot of questions they want answered: how will this help the community?   Will this bring in more industry?   Will test scores get better?  How will this save money?  All legitimate, some answered before, but all need to be answered again, not with words, but with deeds.  We need to show the minority that we have not forgotten their concerns.  That is the proper thing to do.  It must be done with the best of our intentions.   

Let’s face it folks, the work has just begun for the victors.  Now, what do we do?  We do what we said we would do!  It’s that simple.  Let’s make sure we build a good, safe, school, one that is NEEDED, not wanted.  Let’s hold our costs down, and take care of what we have. Let’s keep the public informed through all media outlets and public meetings about what is going on.  Let’s be totally open and honest.  Let’s ask for input.   Let’s educate our children with the best teachers we can get, and most of all, let’s do it together, in the spirit of community.   

We do not have to agree on all things, nor are we obligated to follow all input, but once the majority has made their choice, we now have two avenues to travel:  accept the consequences and try and change what we think needs changed, or sit around and brood about our tough luck, about how we didn’t get what we wanted.  I have heard a lot of the minority say “well, we said no five times, and they still rammed it down our throats.”  No, we didn’t.  We took what we learned from each failure, and tried to make it better each time until we succeeded.  We tried harder each time to inform people better.  We worked harder to change minds.  That is how we succeeded.  

The majority has now spoken.  The 43% should not be forgotten however.  Let’s do our best to bring them with us on this new and exciting journey.  They have that right, and we owe it to them.  Now, what do we do? Easy!  We work to make Greenville and Darke County the best we can make it, TOGETHER! 

Mike Stegall, Darke County Commissioner