Letters to the Editors

Widening County Line Road is not the answer

Editor: Re: DOT finds $18-million to widen County Line Road, Dec. 21 Times:

The problem with County Line Road is all the cross streets and driveways. There are 50 from Mariner Boulevard to U.S. 19. Four lanes will not solve the problems. Those cross streets should be blocked off and a couple of interchanges made with right- and left-hand turn lanes. This will save taxpayers a lot of money.

From the Suncoast Parkway to Mariner Boulevard there are no problems, other than speeding, tailgating and illegal passing.

What about the people who live near the road. Will they get noise barriers? I sent a petition to the Florida Department of Transportation in regard to noise barriers, so at least it is on the record. I guess county Commissioner Diane Rowden does not have much driving experience. If you obey the traffic laws, there should be no problems. But people want to do 70 mph on this road.

Why does Hernando County have to pay more than Pasco County? The right of way from Mariner Boulevard to the Suncoast Parkway will be 90 feet, all on the Hernando side. Why? The Pasco side is all farmland. The Hernando side has more people residing in single-family houses.

There is never a mention of the quality of life for people who live next to County Line Road.
-- Bob Cooper, Spring Hill

Christmas Tree Follies raised $80,000 for arts in the county

Editor: I was utterly shocked with the lack of media coverage for the Christmas Tree Follies sponsored by the Hernando County Fine Arts Council and Silverthorn Country Club. This two-day event on Dec. 13-14, which included a luncheon/fashion show, Christmas tree viewing and performances by the Suzuki Orchestra and children from the Chocachatti School, a golf tournament, and a Grand Formal Ball, was a first for Hernando County and raised approximately $80,000 for the arts in Hernando County.

My hat is off to the owners of Silverthorn, Jerry and Michael Heard, whose hard work and magnanimous generosity created and sponsored this event. Many thanks to the tree sponsors and chairs, committee members, donors and to the community.

Community assistance and support were overwhelming, appreciated and helped make it possible. To those who said it couldn't be done, we have begun planning for the second annual Christmas Tree Follies for December 2003 and hope you will be part of our effort in the coming year.
-- Adelaide (Niki) Hinton, Brooksville

Angels on High a springboard to unite Spring Hill residents

Editor: From Dec. 14-21, the Angels on High event was held at the new Spring Hill Community Association property, previously the Spring Hill Civic Association, on Kenlake Avenue. What a terrific idea, and so many wonderful people were involved.

It showed what a community can do when it sticks together. The old Spring Hill Civic Association and the new Spring Hill Community Association are not even comparable. Even though we all need some of the old ideas, the new ideas were shown by having the Angels on High, and you should see what they have done with the old civic building; it is just indescribable. Fresh paint and a lot of hard work haveturned the building into a bright new beginning.

There are new leaders and now, hopefully, more people will join and get back into the spirit of being united as a community again. United we can turn Spring Hill into the talk of the county.

New things are happening here and it showed with the Angels on High display. A few thousand people came out to see what all the talk and advertising were about and they were pleased, judging by all the positive comments. What a wonderful way to get into the spirit of Christmas with angels: the lights, the music, Santa Claus, the entertainment in the hall, the friendly live angels, all the hard work that different organizations, clubs, and individuals put into making these angels.

County Commissioner Diane Rowden, who made it possible for any handicapped person to see the angels by providing access to a golf cart to drive them around, when otherwise they wouldn't be able to see the beautiful paths, lights, angels, music and the friendly live angels. And, of course, the Spring Hill Community Association is to be praised.

The spirit of the season and the need for a community to become one took over and we saw the warmth in people who just enjoyed the evening. What a lovely event. We were fortunate enough to be involved.
-- Jeannie and Johnnie Bellm, Spring Hill

Trilby gauge was not working: Flooding actually a foot higher

Editor: Re: Forecast calls for river to crest this morning, Dec. 21 Times:

The small "Digest" stated the National Weather Service has scaled back its flood forecast for the Withlacoochee River. It states the river was measured at 11.9 feet Friday morning (Dec. 20). This is incorrect; they are basing all their information on the Trilby gauge, which had not worked since 5 p.m. the day before. At that time the river was at 11.9 feet. The river was actually about a foot higher than that, or approximately 12.9 and was flooding. We had more water in our front and back yard than we did in September.

This is considerably more than "nuisance flooding." Mr. Mark Fuchs should have at least checked to make sure the gauge was working before making such a statement. We could not park at our home; we had to park up the street. Our mail could not be delivered; it had to go into a neighbor's mailbox.

We are well aware that the price you pay for living on the river is occasional, sometimes serious, flooding. We have been fortunate that it has never come into our home. But we were almost surrounded by water. I know we cannot stop the river, but it would be nice if people in authority would correctly state the problems.
-- Richard and Judy Chipley, Ridge Manor

Utilities rip off taxpayers with sewer bills pegged to water use

Editor: Hundreds of thousands of taxpayers in Florida, along with hundreds of thousands of taxpayers in every other state, are being ripped off by the utility companies like there was no tomorrow. And when I say ripped off, I mean big time. Let me explain.

Say you use 1,000 gallons (units) of water during your monthly billing period. You also are being charged the same amount of units for using your sewer. Looking at it with your eyes wide open you wonder why you are being taxed and being charged for a lot of these sewer units, where the water never makes it into the sewer. Example: When washing your car, the water goes into the ground, not into the sewer. When watering your lawn, the water goes into the ground, not into the sewer.

So, the bill you get from the utility company is not an accurate bill. Yes, you are being charged accurately for the amount of water you use, but not for the accurate amount of sewer units you use. You are being overcharged.

Why hasn't the government stepped in to rid this massive theft of services to the taxpayer by these companies? This has been going on for a long time and needs to be stopped now once and for all. We are not talking about pennies; we are talking about millions of dollars.

It's time for the utility companies to rectify the situation.
-- Michael J. Kowalik, Spring Hill

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Send your letter to Hernando Times, 161 E Jefferson St., Brooksville, FL 34601. To fax a letter call 754-6133. Send letters by e-mail (in text-only format) to hernando@sptimes.com.

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