“Angela Henry, SAFE BASE director, asked for assistance last month, noting that $7,000 would be sufficient to fund the project.”
The fund requested was for a dental clinic for students in USDs 256, 257 and 258.
I read this in the Wednesday edition of the Iola Register report of the May 11 Allen County commission meeting. One of the commissioners said “I’m not sure it’s the county’s responsibility to bribe parents to take care of their kids’ teeth.” And it probably isn’t.
Then a second commissioner said he was uncertain whether he wanted to support the project because “we have people in the county who need raises.” And he is absolutely correct in this assessment.
The third commissioner said he would ask Henry to attend next Tuesday’s meeting to give more information.
Responsibility? That is a good question. Certainly there are no Kansas statutes dictating that the county respond to this need. But we might consider other laws. Sometime during this past month I read that there are approximately 2,000 verses in our Christian Bible inferring that those who have should see to the welfare of those who don’t. And many people in the county do need raises, not just county employees, assuming em-ployees are what the commissioner was referring to.
I would bet there are county employees that can’t afford adequate dental care for themselves or their children and would appreciate the service.
The cost of this service is around 50 cents for each county resident. And all residents, even the poorest, pay taxes when they buy groceries or other goods. They will pay more than their 50 cents several times a year.
It’s in the best interest of all of us if they say “Yes” to Ms. Henry on Tuesday.
Ray Shannon,
Iola, Kan.
