County emergency chief not to blame for resident's fault
Published October 11, 2004
Re: Issue evacuation orders on time and skip the excuses, letter by Jack Bray, Oct. 5.
In defense of county Emergency Management director Gary Vickers, I feel that Jack Bray is misled and sorely mistaken. Also, I feel that Bray's analogy was nothing more than excuses for his own admitted lack of emergency preparedness for himself and his family during Hurricane Jeanne.
Bray's attack on Mr. Vickers was disturbing, and I was sickened and appalled with his attempts to place blame on everyone else but where it belongs: himself.
I have been residing in Pinellas for two years now and I am amazed with the outstanding job that Mr. Vickers did with emergency planning for Hurricane Jeanne. Our family did heed Mr. Vickers' advice and made our preparations accordingly. The Pinellas County Emergency Management division deserves the highest praise for assisting the citizens of Pinellas County during a stressful time. Despite the ever-changing hurricane track, Mr. Vickers was broadcasting the most up-to-the-minute information at all hours of the day and night.
There are always going to be procrastinators and people who wait until the very last minute to evacuate and/or seek shelter during an imminent natural disaster or hurricane. Mr. Vickers, you did an excellent job and as a resident of Florida, I applaud you and am proud to be a citizen of Pinellas.
-- Nancy Kulesa, Tarpon Springs
Emergency center slow on Jeanne
On Sept. 25, as Hurricane Jeanne approached, I evacuated to my parents' house in Palm Harbor. This was about 2:00 in the afternoon and the winds had already picked up. When I arrived I mentioned that it seemed like the county Emergency Operations Center was doing nothing.
Well, I was watching News Channel 8 at 5 p.m. and their chief meteorologist was saying that Jeanne hadn't turned yet and this was mentioned again at 8 p.m. as Jeanne came ashore on the East Coast. There was no excuse for the EOC not knowing.
In addition, I cannot imagine being awakened and asked to drive 20-25 minutes for shelter as the winds raged. As an educator, I understand not wanting to close schools, which are used as shelters, unnecessarily, but I would rather have people safe and sound and not having to evacuate in the dead of night.
-- Kelly M. Dutt, Largo
Officials short-sighted on landfill needs
These recent hurricanes should be a wake-up call to all current and future county commissioners as well as all municipal governments about the high cost of the disposal of hurricane debris.
Pinellas, Hillsborough and Pasco counties have been very fortunate. However, the Pinellas County commissioners as well as the St. Petersburg City Council members and Mayor Rick Baker were not visionaries when they allowed the sod farm property to be sold and rezoned for a development by Grady Pridgen.
This is/was a 108-acre parcel that abuts Bridgeway Acres, the county landfill. The county's Solid Waste Department wanted to buy it for future landfill in anticipation of growth and natural disasters to save Pinellas taxpayers the high future cost of disposal. The department's plan was to allow St. Petersburg to continue to develop the site as industrial and when needed, the county would then take back portions of the site for landfilling in about 40 years, unless natural disasters shortened that time span.
I moved into my Largo home in 1985. Because I now have a larger family, we have added 1,100 square feet of living space to our home. Two years ago the home was valued around $140,000 and with the tax exemption the property was taxed for more than $1,100. Yes, the City of Largo received about $300, yet your property tax hike article failed to mention the $800 of additional property tax (by other taxing authorities). To pay $300 of taxes per year for a house in Pinellas County is a good deal, however you printed less than half of the story.
-- Pete Palmieri, Largo
Letters on student misrepresented views
Re: Student's letter shows lack of respect for authority, letter by Lawrence Browett, Sept. 29; You're free to pick another school, letter by Michelle Hale, Sept. 20; Many school rules not enforced, letter by Mary Moran, Sept. 17; and School's rules have merit, letter by Christopher S. White, Sept. 13.
I am not writing to rehash all the letters about school rules that have appeared here over the past weeks. I am content to let the professional educators handle those matters.
I do feel it necessary to correct the misrepresentation made by Ms. Hale of my daughter's view of her school and the unfounded personal attacks made on her by Mr. Browett.
Ms. Hale wrongly states that if my daughter is unhappy with her school over the failure to adequately address smoking in the bathroom (and other rules) she should avail herself of the school choice program and transfer to another school. Ms. Hale also states that smoking in the bathrooms is a decades-old problem and exists nationwide. If there is logic in the advice to transfer, then, to another school, it escapes me.
Nevertheless, we did use the choice program to pick Dunedin High School for its tremendous teaching staff (which includes last year's winner of the Pinellas County Teacher of the Year award), outstanding clubs and sports teams, recently expanded facilities, and the best marching band in the whole county. We are not unhappy with DHS, in fact we are just the opposite.
Where does Mr. Browett find justification for these wholly incorrect statements about a person he has never met? "I would first like to thank Miss Moran for writing the letter and removing all doubt about what she is made of." "Change your behavior ... ." "Miss Moran, your entire letter is disrespectful to the adult you addressed, and I suspect you probably treat other adults in the same fashion. What are your priorities? It does not appear that education, following the rules and being respectful to your elders fit in there anywhere."
He won't find justification for these in her letter. She states she does not agree with some rules but she doesn't defy them or cause disruptions. What behavior does he think needs to be changed? Writing to an open forum to debate issues? Mr. White complained about "stupid parents" (his words). Mary complained about "stupid comments." I find her comments less objectionable than the comments of Mr. White or Mr. Browett.
If Mr. Browett knew anything about Mary's priorities and accomplishments he would find his closing statement embarrassing. Mr. Browett, you owe this young lady an apology. Young people should be encouraged to take an interest in the world around them and to express opinions and not be browbeaten by teachers. I hope your teaching career is a long, successful one, filled with hundreds of bright, inquisitive, funny students just like Mary, who are dedicated to their schools, communities and churches, even when those institutions are not perfect. I hope you will learn that young adults as well as our elders deserve respect.
-- Martin Moran, Dunedin
Thanks to county for use of dump site
My husband, Stanley, and I would like to give our thanks to the county for letting us take our tree limbs, clippings and brush to their dump site on S Belcher Road. The people there were very helpful and friendly and doing their best to see that we got the job done right. Thanks and a big bless you.
-- Collen Mullins, Clearwater
Thanks for quick work, Progress Energy
I live in Dunedin, have an elderly parent at Top of the World in Clearwater, and have been so aware of the tremendous job the electric company has done and is still doing in restoring full power to us all. The restoration has been quick and complete and I am very grateful to all of the workers for Progress Energy who have never stopped, it seems. Trucks are everywhere, with personnel working hard to make our lives comfortable again. I'm sure I speak for many people who say "thank you."
-- Mona Rioux, Dunedin
[Last modified October 11, 2004, 14:38:18]
