Editor, Gazette-Journal:

There is an obvious impasse between the Gloucester Board of Supervisors and the Gloucester School Board. How can two groups of officers, elected by the same voters in each district and at-large in the county, view an issue so differently? Obviously, the school board is attending to the wishes of those who elected them, while three or four in the board of supervisors are ignoring them.

There is no question that the chasm arises from political manipulations. Three of the supervisors—(Michelle) Ressler, (Gregory) Woodard and (Bobby) Crewe—view the school board with distain and rancor and will do anything to create obstructions in the labors of the latter. Hence, their insistence on categorical funding.

Mr. (John) Northstein, on the other hand, is drifting into the chasm toward the Ressler-Woodard-Crewe side, which surprises me considerably. I expected him to have demonstrated a more sensitive view of the matter. He has stated that a mountain is being made out of a mole-hill.

There is no reason to create a serious problem for the school board by switching to categorical funding (making a mountain), when there is nothing wrong with lump sum funding (the mole-hill).

Northstein should also consider that the change will only apply to the year 2011. Changes in the composition of the board of supervisors are in the air, meaning that Ressler, Woodard and Crewe will be removed from office by the voters in November of 2011 and their replacements are certain to change categorical funding back to lump sum.

There is no reason, therefore, to make a change in 2011 which is likely to be reversed in 2012. Let common sense and orderliness prevail.

Reinaldo Morales

Gloucester Point, Va.