Editor: Kudos to Bridget Hall Grumet regarding her article pertaining to the Pasco County Code Enforcement Department and its everyday struggle on the front lines to keep our county and community looking acceptable.
These people are devoted, conscientious employees who put up with a lot of unreasonable residents and some outdated rules, which little by little are being brought into the 21st century. What would help these front line code officers is some cooperation from people who just feel they can live as they want with little or no respect for their neighbors and their community. These residents deserve what they get, and we're sure they are treated fairly by code officers, considering the situations.
These officers, led by Joe Gross, assistant zoning and code compliance administrator, many times face abusive language and residents with major attitude problems. At times, this is almost a thankless job, but Mr. Gross and his officers are committed to resolving the various problems from businesses and residents. Just look around, the difference is obvious.
Our sympathy to Don Rowe and his remark that code enforcement is not making a difference. Wake up, Mr. Rowe, and look around. When was the last time you picked up some garbage or removed some illegal snipe signs?
Betterment of our community is the responsibility of all residents and businesses that live in or benefit from a better-looking neighborhood. We can only get this feeling from people like Joe Gross, Pauline Smith and Tom Pirozzi, to name a few, leading the way into battle. Our compliments to Pasco County and the many fine employees who work for the county and its various departments.
-- Allan Schwartz and River Crossing Homeowners Association directors
Riverfront project will serve only to erase small-town vibe
Editor: Does Peter Altman or the city even think or care about what this riverfront project is going to do to the traffic congestion downtown?
We who live in this area already know how heavy the traffic is downtown during rush hour. This little downtown is not capable of handling big city development like this. It also takes away from the pleasant small-town feel that most of us living here enjoy.
Sure, it looks pretty, but it is too big for the tiny 3 or so acres they want to cram it into.
-- Julie Sawyer, New Port Richey
Column about couple injured in RV crash was a "cheap shot'
Think about who's steering the RV, March 21 Chase Squires column
Editor: What a cheap shot you gave to the couple who had the accident March 15. They are still in St. Joseph Hospital in ICU, with the wife in critical condition and the husband in serious condition. You implied that they had no experience, even after owning the RV for years and having put thousands of miles on it.
Let me give you a little history of this fine American couple. The husband was a mechanic in the Air Force and has worked in construction most of his life. More recently, he was the fire chief for his local volunteer fire company. Mr. Campbell was around large equipment for most of his life. His wife worked alongside him at the fire company in the Rescue Squad. They have five children and many grandchildren and great-grandchildren. The very least you should have done is wait until they are well enough to defend themselves but that certainly didn't enter your mind.
You quickly got your opinion out to the public and got your mindless thoughts out without thinking that it was what it was, a very unfortunate accident, with two fine people lying in a hospital hoping they can get their lives back together and celebrate their 50th wedding anniversary next year.
-- Samuel Ferguson, Port Richey
Extra traffic causes holes on Teak Street that need repair
Editor: Pasco County government does it again to the residents of the county, this time in Griffin Park.
It refuses to repair holes in the streets, creating a serious condition. One street is Teak Street off Little Road. The county claims the first two blocks comprise a private street, but the rest of the street is a public street.
In 1988, we contacted the county to pave our streets. We were told the county had no money for residential streets and would not have any money until 1996. We told them that we would hire a contractor (Medders Paving) and do as many streets as people would be willing to pay for.
We did approximately 2 miles of streets at $7 per foot front. Teak Street was one of them. It is the main street in our part of the community, with access to northbound and southbound Little Road and Chicago Avenue. Two years later, the county found the money to hire a contractor to pave the remaining streets at $16 per foot to be assessed over 10 years at 12 percent interest.
Five years ago, the county improved Little Road to six lanes and added a median, causing Teak Street to become the only street to enter or exit our community onto Little Road.
Instead of 50 cars a day, we now have 500 plus a day traveling on Teak. This is the reason for all the holes in the street. Do you think this is fair? No, it's just Pasco County government at work.
-- Charles R. Barker, New Port Richey
Son does not deserve sentence for using needed painkillers
Re: Richard Paey
Editor: Please, please do not send my son away. He was always a good boy, and instead of a good life, now he has to put up with pain and life in bed. Life was rough for him since that terrible accident and then the back operation.
When I read about bad people who get away with really hurting people, then consider my son, who never hurt anyone but himself. It's not fair. He should be home with his family who loves him and takes care of him.
I am 81 years old; how much longer will I be able to be with him? There should be a different law out there to help people. He was crying out for help, but he never got it. Nobody cared. It still looks like nobody cares.
I hope my prayers come true: that he'll be home and taken care of.
-- Helen Paey, New Port Richey
Justice system has caused more harm to Paey than help
Editor: Why is Richard Paey being punished for a problem he has not been able to control? Is it humane that the law has incarcerated and separated this man from his family who must be his greatest comfort?
He graduated from a prestigious university, but is unable to take his bar exam due to an automobile accident and botched back surgery. It led to his medication addiction, adding to this very sad story. This husband, son and father has multiple sclerosis and is on a morphine pump. How hypocritical can the system be? There is a major difference between morphine and Percocet.
I pray that this man be helped by our system, not more hurt by it.
-- Peggy Genne, New Port Richey
Bright House "malfunction' not the first nor was it an accident
Re: Wrestling switch
Editor: As a former technician with what was then Time Warner Communications, I am familiar with the operations at the company. The excuses from Linda Chambers, spokeswoman for Bright House Networks, that "a piece of equipment malfunctioned" is lame.
This is not the first time this has happened, and it won't be the last. Simply put, someone had to have switched this equipment manually. It didn't just switch to a different feed all on its own as Ms. Chambers would have you believe.
They are different pieces of equipment. You just don't go intermittently from wrestling to sex. This is unacceptable.
How come it didn't switch to the Disney Channel?
-- Tom Scotti, Spring Hill
Loud background music makes it hard to hear shows' dialogue
Editor: This is a complaint shared not only by the elderly, like me, but the younger generation, as well. Why must the background music on so many programs be so loud that it almost drowns out the dialogue?
It makes it very difficult to concentrate and enjoy the actual show.
-- Peggy Holway, Port Richey
[Last modified March 25, 2004, 01:05:44]
