To the editor:

Sue Morgan has already set the tone for the failure of the next bond issue. She said she expected the new school board to eventually assemble a smaller, reconfigured bond issue.

Memo to Ms. Morgan: This is the responsibility of the community, City Commission members, Chamber of Commerce, parents, business leaders and the media together.

Unless the school board AND City Commission members get together and organize a well-represented citizen, parent and business committee in the promotion of the (next) school bond election and improve on internal and external communications, as well as winning the trust of the voters, it will fail again.

Although there were modest attempts to educate the public, some basic points were left out of the process: Linking facility investment to learning results, TRULY engaging the public, offering a plan that would assure performance for the dollars spent, preparing a bulletproof plan with clarity and gaining a clear endorsement of ALL city leaders, the chamber and business leaders well in advance of the vote.

The economic prosperity of any community is increasingly dependent upon the skills and abilities of its people. Corporate surveys have always shown that the ranking of the public schools is one of the most important quality of life issues when relocating to a city.

This is why city leaders and the chamber need to be more proactive in the process.

Judging by the opposition, I would suggest that the school board invest some of the consultant fees to a good P.R. firm next time.

Lawrence D. Bush, Lawrence