A referendum vote will be held on Sept. 23 in the SAD 52 communities of Greene, Leeds and Turner. If this passes, many much needed improvements to building and parking areas within the district will be done.

You need only to visit Greene Central briefly to see that this building is in terrible shape. There are classrooms in closets and locker rooms. As a former substitute teacher, I have seen firsthand how difficult it is for the students in the portables to put on coats and boots just to go into the main building to use the bathroom unsupervised. This is, in my opinion, a safety issue as well.

If we do not dispose of the portable classrooms in the next three years, the state will no longer reimburse the district for their cost. The taxpayers would then be responsible for all the expenses of these units, and our students would be no better off than they are now.

It is likely that the district would qualify for some type of reimbursement from the Revolving Renovations Loan Fund if this referendum passes. With interest rates as low as they are, now is the time to do what is needed to provide proper learning experiences for all of our students.

It is time to show support for our children. They deserve no less.

I intend to vote “yes” on Sept. 23 because it’s the right thing to do.

Brenda Theriault, Greene