Next month, on March 10, our community will be faced with a decision on whether to renew the bond that will allow our public school system to do some much-needed repairs and maintenance across the county. Out of all the frustrations we face when looking at the numbers of the past bond election, the one that stands out to us the most is the embarrassingly low voter turnout.

We are not going to overload you with rhetoric and the reasons why you should vote “YES,” for we think it is important for each person to make their own informed decision, but we hope after finishing this short letter, that you make the time on March 10 to go to the booth and vote, regardless of what you decide is in your best interest.

There is way too much misinformation out there, and we hope that if you have any questions you find your way to someone who has all the facts. This is NOT AN INCREASE, and despite lotto and marijuana proceeds slowly making their way to the Michigan budget, these items are not going to impact our school system, or be the magic wand that will fix our schools. Our community must take action, and the first step in that is voting. The only ones who are going to help our schools is us. Period.

If you have any questions, we would be happy to answer them to the best of our abilities. We strongly believe in the value our public school system creates for our community today, our kids and our future. We thank you for your time and hope to see Alpena out in full strength come March 10.

ALISON and STEVE JAKUBCIN,

Alpena