September 26, 2016 - State Rep. Chris Paddie was at the Windham Civic Center Thursday, September 22, 2016 for a joint luncheon meeting of the Center Noon Lions Club and Center Rotary Club.
Shelby County Chamber of Commerce was instrumental in organizing what has proven to be an annual event for the past three years. Jim Sawyer, Shelby County Chamber of Commerce President, opened the event and introduced guests.
Following his introduction by David Chadwick, Center Mayor, Paddie spoke with the club members about items which will be addressed during the upcoming legislature and items on which his attention is focused, giving club members an idea of what to expect.
Paddie explained he is currently the Vice Chair of House Energy Resources which as he said is everything oil and gas, mining, oversight of the Railroad Commission. He also currently serves on the Transportation Committee as well as sub-committees of that committee.
He said the budget will be a main objective for everyone this year and last year was an easier time for the legislature than it looks like it will be this year.
"Our hope is that we're going to basically come in pretty much flat, and we're going to be pretty close to hitting it on the mark, so I think that's pretty good. That gives me hope that we're not facing a situation where we need to look at drastic cuts or anything even remotely like we saw in 2011 where we had a huge budget shortfall and had to do some pretty significant cuts," said Paddie.
Paddie expects an interesting year in education this year and foresees a difference of opinions between the State and House regarding the education system.
Three members of the audience questioned Paddie mostly about education. Those individuals were Sammy Arnold, Lions Club member; Bobbie Fagan, Lions Club District Governor from Livingston; and Bob Reeves, Center Rotary Club member.
"I think our kids deserve a base line of what Highland Park gets, but it's impossible to give them the same thing," said Reeves.
Reeves referred to others present during the meeting who are aware and who have contributed efforts in trying to improve education for local students, "We have worked so hard to try to raise the standards on math and science."
He referenced a conversation he had with an educator who suggested somewhere like Highland Park has 20-30 students "destined" to be nuclear engineers or something of that nature and require difficult classes to accomplish such goals and who don't focus on any extra-curricular activities.
"We come to smaller districts like we're in and there's one kid that wants it," said Reeves. "They'll catch up, our kids are smart, it just takes them longer."
Paddie said part of the challenge, as was a struggle with House Bill 5, is endorsements and instructional paths which have been developed, smaller school districts don't have the ability or resources to give their student population the full offering of what's available.
"Part of the way we solve that, and I see it happening in my district with school districts is collaboration, where you may have Center, Shelbyville and Joaquin. You may come together and say, we're going to have this career center, or this great resource here and were going to share that resource," said Paddie.
