Print

Email story

Comment

Letter to the editor

Pavilion's state deserves city's attention, too

Re: Clearwater Beach's South Beach Pavilion.

For the last few weeks, we have been reading in your paper about the contracts for the South Beach Pavilion of Clearwater Beach and the money it generates, both for the Hamilton family and the city of Clearwater.

As residents of Clearwater for the past 20 years, we make a point of visiting this beach and this pavilion about twice a month.

For the past several months, my wife had commented on the conditions in the ladies' restroom of the pavilion. She says most of the stalls have not had locks on the doors for months, and it is inconvenient trying to hold the door closed while attending to one's needs. Also, there has never been soap in the ladies' room - not sanitary these days.

While visiting the beach, I was embarrassed when a German tourist, who was sitting near us, commented that his 4-year-old son was watching men change out of their swimming suits in the men's room . . . no changing stalls for men - just a bench.

I observed that there was no toilet tissue in the men's room and that the tables outside the concession stand where people eat were dirty.

It is nice that the city is concerned about the pavilion and how much money it generates, but when was the last time the mayor or a member of the City Council visited the pavilion? Even if the city is planning to replace it soon, we need to have a little more pride in our beach now. Clearwater Beach may be one of the cleanest beaches in Florida, but the South Beach Pavilion would not win any awards.

Public forum on fluoride available, but where are the county officials?

There is an opportunity for a true debate on the subject of fluoridating Pinellas County water with hydrofluorosilicic acid (not your garden variety fluoride). On Thursday at 7 p.m. at the Harborview Center in downtown Clearwater, experts on the subject are going to be available to provide information and discuss the issues.

So far, no county official or anyone designated by the county has accepted the invitation to participate in this public discussion.

What's up with that? If our public officials can't handle an open airing of the issues, how can anyone trust their competence to make decisions?

The director of Pinellas County Utilities, Pick Talley, stated in a letter to the editor July 4: "It is correct that there is no direct research that we are aware of on hydrofluorosilicic acid's impact on the health of humans." Then, after throwing out some red herrings, he nonsensically states, "Readers can find out about the research on fluoride from hydrofluorosilicic acid in water by contacting the following:" (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Florida Department of Health).

Contact them about what? Information they don't have? This is a mind-bending twist of logic and the lamest attempt to spin the issue I have seen yet.

The bottom line is that county officials need to show up to explain and defend their decision to add this toxic substance to our water supply.

YOUR VOICE COUNTS

We invite readers to write letters for publication. To send a letter from your computer, go to www.sptimes.com/letters and fill in the required information. Type your letter in the space provided on the form, then submit your letter to the appropriate section of the newspaper. If you prefer, you may instead fax your letter to us at 727 445-4119, or mail it to Letter to the Editor, St. Petersburg Times, 710 Court St., Clearwater, FL 33756.

Letters should be brief and must include the writer's name, city of residence, mailing address and phone number. Letters may be edited for clarity, taste and length. We regret that not all letters can be printed.

[Last modified July 7, 2004, 01:03:26]