Whether you have a child who attends a public school in our county or not, without strong academic resources available in our public schools, we can kiss the idea of growth for our city and county goodbye.

Because as enchanting as the muddy Mississippi is and alluring as our historical town is, industry executives will not move their companies to Vicksburg if their employees do not have access to a good school system.

New employees at ERDC and the Corp of Engineers will not move to Vicksburg either, if they do not have a strong school system to educate their children, which in our case means we have to maintain up-to-date public school facilities.

And if you have any doubts as to whether this is true or not, start noticing how many ride share vehicles come and go to our government facilities.

Many of these employees have, unfortunately, chosen to live in Clinton or Madison, and I dare say it is because they make their choices based on our schools.

I mean, certainly, Vicksburg has more charm than our sister cities do.

Sorry Clinton, but what do you have that we don’t?

Well, great schools!

So what can we do to turn the tide?

For starters, on March 27, we can vote to approve the $83 million bond issue that was proposed by the VWSD trustees to go towards renovating and expanding the school district’s existing buildings.

Now mind you, I said this was a start. There are other steps a community must take in order to have a successful school system. But to start, unless you have safe and competitive facilities where the faculty and staff can do their work and students can learn, progress in other areas becomes a challenge.

I know there are some citizens leery of this bond issue because it will make their taxes go up.

But surely you have heard the old saying, it takes money to make money, and I believe that by improving our district’s schools, we will began to see an overall impact on the economy of Vicksburg and that’s good for everyone.

And for those that may be feeling a bit reserved in letting go of your dollars, my oldest daughter, who is good with math (and a public school graduate), helped me break the increase in tax dollars down.

If you own a $200,000 home, your property taxes will increase by roughly $13 a month.

I don’t know about you, but that seems like a very small investment on what could be a massive return.

Choosing to vote on this bond issue is a no brainer for me.

I grew up in Vicksburg, and I am a product of the public school system. From first through seventh grades, I attended Jett Elementary School, which was near Rifle Range Road, and I graduated from Warren Central High School. In fact, in July, many of my classmates and I will be celebrating our 40th class reunion.

I have always been proud of where I received my high school diploma.

We had a strong football team, an award winning band and a plethora of dedicated teachers.

I have so many wonderful memories of my days at the school, and unlike those who are ardent supporters of their college alma maters, I have always told people I bleed red and blue — Warren Central colors.

After I became a mother, I continued supporting the Vicksburg Warren School District and all four of my children attended the local schools, with three following in my footsteps and graduated from WCHS.

This year, my grandson will enter into the public school system, becoming the third generation in my family to attend the local public schools.

I’m vested in our community, and I pray others will be too, because we can no longer kick this can down the road. It is time to take action and become a good steward of our community by voting yes to the school bond issue.

Terri Cowart Frazier is a staff writer for The Vicksburg Post. You may reach her at terri.frazier@vicksburgpost.com.