I read with interest the letters to the editor, both pro and con, regarding the Largo City Commission's vote not to approve a human rights ordinance (Many rights can't be regulated and Hooray for rejection of human rights ordinance, Aug. 14). Personally, I found it appalling that they caved in to pressure from religious and anti-pretty-much-everything groups. Everyone is entitled to an opinion, but I wonder if any of the letter writers have considered that this is the effect of only 12 percent of the voters doing their civic duty by going to the polls to begin with.
Because a small group of people say who will govern, the larger voice of Largo is not heard. This is how we lost the Renaissance Festival, how we will acquire an expensive library, how we will spend money piping music into the Green Desert (Largo Central Park) while our nature parks are being strangled by exotic vegetation. This is why we are pouring large amounts of money into West Bay Drive, which is lined with buildings that could only enhance the project by being pulled down, and why the commission is now talking about a very large tax increase.
The only way to put a stop to all of this behavior is to go to the polls and encourage everyone you know of like opinion to do the same. It is truly depressing to see people who are the luckiest people on the face of the earth treating, with such little appreciation, the right that most of the rest of people on the globe would and do die for.
-- Constance R. Dawson, Largo
Letter writer showed no compassion for ill pastor
Re: Article on pastor petty, mean-spirited, inaccurate, letter by Jack Joyner, Aug. 29, about Interim Pastor Ken Alford of Calvary Baptist Church. Mr. Joyner, if the short-term pastorate of Dr. Jerry Tidwell was a disaster at Calvary Baptist Church, you must have been a large part of the problem rather than the solution, because you were an influential member of the pulpit committee that selected Dr. Tidwell after interviewing 100 applicants.
On Aug. 26, the St. Petersburg Times printed on Page 3D a full-page medical article on the effects of Lyme disease. I applaud the Times for the excellent article that previously appeared in the Washington Post. The article reports that after several months of treatment with antibiotics, patients' symptoms may range from fatigue and memory loss to tinnitus (ringing in the ears) and olfactory hallucinations. Other symptoms have included hair loss, memory gaps, dropping first letters of words when writing by hand, and replacing words with similar-sounding gibberish when speaking. Mr. Joyner, I wish you could have shown more Christian compassion for Dr. Jerry Tidwell, who is afflicted with Lyme disease.
It is common knowledge that Ken Alford and some staff members conducted a spirited campaign for the abrupt dismissal of Dr. Tidwell. Mr. Joyner, it is not clear why you are assaulting the Times for reporting the news, nor is it clear why you are a staunch supporter of Interim Pastor Alford and the staff at Calvary Baptist Church. The current problems are compounded by the fact the church membership was not permitted to vote on the hiring of the controversial Ken Alford. He was hired by a less-than-unanimous decision of the Board of Deacons.
Mr. Joyner, Pastor Alford's sexual misconduct at his former church in Brandon is not old news, and the outrage at Calvary Baptist is very current news. The news never gets old when a prominent minister of the gospel engages in misconduct. This is not the time and Calvary Baptist is not the place to reward Interim Pastor Alford with a $1,500 weekly salary following his despicable sexual misconduct and behavior.
Alford, as interim pastor of Calvary, has split the church. Sunday school teachers have resigned and a host of Calvary members are now worshiping in other Clearwater churches while many remain at home. Mr. Joyner, have you noticed the empty pews?
I want to apologize to the readers of your letter for your relentless attack against the Times and the ministry of Dr. Jerry Tidwell, who has been recognized for having served as chairman of the board of Union College, president of the Tennessee Baptist Convention and a member of the Southern Baptist Sunday School Board, as well as for other notable organizations and churches. Mr. Joyner, those accolades didn't happen by chance.
-- L.R. Mayer, Clearwater
Largo's financial blunders are passed on to taxpayers
Re: Property tax sure to rise, but how high?, story, Aug. 27.
Your paper stated that the city of Largo spends $21,300 on employee holiday gift certificates. Why should our tax money be used for holiday gifts? I know for a fact this is not allowed in Pinellas County government and should not be allowed for the city of Largo.
You also state that city commissioners were looking at a 7 percent raise but changed that to 5 percent. I have a hard time understanding this. You ran for an office knowing ahead of time what it pays. I would agree with maybe a 1 percent cost-of-living raise.
Also stated is the fact that the city lost money in the police and firefighter pension plan due to poor stock performance. Well, welcome to the club. We all lost money. I don't think that we should have to compensate because you chose to invest poorly.
-- Pete Gratton, Largo
Your voice counts
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