Getting the answers in Ohio

OHIO — Ohio’s Committee of 10 — Kat Conner, Rick Wilkin, George Christison, Deb Anderson, Rose Duffy, Dena Doran, Bridgot Lamkin, Howard Miller, Rich Mueller and Marcia Thompson — will hold a community meeting at 6 p.m. Thursday at the Ohio fire station to discuss the possibility of annexing the Ohio High School district to the Princeton High School district.

In August, the 10 district residents formed the committee in an attempt to bring the future of the district to voters. The committee announced plans to collect signatures to put the question as to whether Ohio should annex into the Princeton district on the ballot and has since hired a lawyer in its efforts to deal with Ohio High School’s administration and board.

Committee member Conner said Thursday the purpose of the meeting is to answer questions for the community.

“One of the things we talked about in the Future of Ohio High School Committee meetings was to have a town meeting,” she said. “We were told that would have to be a board decision, and it was to be brought up at the time the study was given to the board. It was never even mentioned at that time.”

Conner said the community has to be informed on all aspects of the annexation issue and plans on bringing in the experts — which will include Bureau County Clerk Kami Hieronymus, Supervisor of Assessments Tom Sweeney, Michele Henninger from the Illinois State Board of Education, Ohio Superintendent Sharon Flesher, Princeton Superintendent Kirk Haring, Ohio High School Board member Lisa Ackerman, and Ohio Grade School Board member Cindy Hacker — to accomplish it.

“Credibility is often an issue, rumors are rampant in small towns, and we feel that a community meeting with the people we have invited will do more to clarify the issue than anything else we could do,” Conner said.

Flesher said she was told the meeting will deal with facts and noted the committee has called some of the same people she has relied on for information she has presented to the Ohio High School Board.

“It is the community’s right to hold a meeting,” she said. “Any time the community has the opportunity to listen to the facts, it will assist them in making a better decision on a given issue.”