Time for us to invest in our community

Chandler Wagner

Courtesy Photo

Tricia and I have been very transparent about our support of the Recreation Bond Issue that will be on the ballot this coming election. The bond has been a hot topic in our community as of late and a lot of discussions have been had around it. At this point, we know your mind is made up. We know you are passionately for or against the bond issue. So what is there to do now? Vote.

Your voice and your opinions matter, and no matter how you feel about the bond issue or who’s running for city council, sheriff, or school board, we want to urge you to vote. Voting gives us a great opportunity to let our voices be heard and allows us to participate in the democratic process. We have both heard someone close to us say “but it’s just one vote, does it really matter?”. And, yes, we believe it does! What if everyone in McCook had that same mindset? Our entire town would be unrepresented in this vote.

Nonetheless, we will take this opportunity to put a plug in for the Recreational Bond Issue. Tricia and I believe that the future of McCook is with young families, like our own, who want to live in a safe, progressive area where our children can learn, play and live better lives than we did. We truly feel this is one of the greatest opportunities we’ve ever had in our lives to impact our community and the young families that inhabit it. Not only that, but this will give our community something to attract new residents and entice consumers to invest in us.

So, why do we feel compelled to share our support? We share our support for the bond issue because I have spent my entire life as a resident of McCook and I know the importance of a safe place for children to go and enjoy their summer days. Tricia spent 9 summers as the manager at McCook City Pool and she could still tell you the names of each kid that was at the pool from open to close, every single day. We share our support because we know our community and our children are worth it.

To state it bluntly, it is time for all of us to invest in our own community, the way so many communities around us and across the state already have. Invest in our community to build an even better community that may thrive for generations to come. And we must be open-minded to change so that our children, grandchildren, neighbors, and friends can experience an even better childhood and life than we imagined.

Because if McCook doesn’t believe in McCook, who else will? It is up to all of us, young and old, to work together and invest in our community to make McCook an even better place to call home. So, mark your calendars for Nov 8, 2022. Polls are open around the county from 8 a.m. - 8 p.m.

Let your voice be heard. Go vote.