In September, I began research into the city's demographics, its aging and shrinking population. I called the school board to ask for enrollment figures and projections.
Twice I called. The head of the board's communications department can confirm this.
I received no response to my request.
I then called a trustee to ask about enrollment. His/her response was to say that the board was worried about the continuing decline in enrollment. It was his/her opinion that shortly after the election, the board administration would in fact be coming forward with a report to begin the process of closing a school.
It was an opinion and that's how I expressed it at the all-candidates' meeting on Wednesday.
I actually spoke with the trustee a second time about it. That's when the trustee used the line "the writing is on the wall", which is the phrase I used at the all candidates meeting to describe the trustee's opinion.
I want to assure everyone that I did not make this up. But I did not have the trustee's permission to use his/her name.
So, as was my practice as a reporter, I have kept it to myself.