The Times recommends the following candidates, all Republican incumbents whose districts include all or part of Hernando County, be returned to the state Legislature:
Senate District 11 : Mike Fasano
Senate District 15 : Paula Dockery
House District 43 : Charles Dean
House District 44 : David Russell Jr.
Re: Deputy union distances itself from sheriff's race , Oct. 14 Times:
Editor: I have been a member of the Hernando County Sheriff's Office since June 1987. In October 1997 I helped organize the Fraternal Order of Police (FOP) lodge in Hernando County.
The purpose of this lodge was to provide legal protection for the deputies of this county and to set up a fraternal organization. In January 2002, the Florida Supreme Court ruled in favor of allowing deputies to participate in collective bargaining.
In December 2003, the Fraternal Order of Police won the election to represent the deputies of the county. The reason to establish collective bargaining was that as employees, deputies wanted a say in the terms and conditions of employment, in order to provide the best possible future for ourselves and our families. This is the same right enjoyed by American workers throughout this nation.
Furthermore, working under a contract provides a great sense of security for the future, as opposed to merely working as an at-will employee. Therefore, although our working conditions before collective bargaining were not, in fact, objectionable, there was no guarantee that conditions would not change for the worse each time a newly elected sheriff took office.
In August 2004, about eight months after the commencement of negotiations between the employees and the sheriff, a contract was ratified. Thus, the Hernando County Sheriff's Office was one of the first sheriff's offices to ratify a contract since the Supreme Court's ruling in 2002.
I disagree with some of the comments made in the referenced article. Specifically, sheriff candidate Eddie McConnell is quoted as stating that "If deputies were happy with the current treatment, then I would see no reason for them to unionize at all." The truth is that FOP members were discussing the possibility of collective bargaining before the court's ruling in 2002, and even before the sheriff's race in 2000. No matter who actually won that election, collective bargaining would have been established.
Collective bargaining underscores a mutually beneficial relationship between deputies and the sheriff, which results in a negotiated contract. It is not a line in the sand separating unhappy employees from an oppressive employer. Rather, it levels the playing field and gives all interested people a voice, which is the very hallmark of a democratic society.
-- Steve Klapka, Brooksville
Keep watchful eye in dangerous times
Editor: Following an alert by the U.S. Department of Education urging schools to heighten security and vigilance against terrorism, the Washington Post reported that Deputy Secretary of Education Eugene Hickok took the opportunity to assure everyone there is no imminent threat, no reason for high anxiety. He stated that the alert was not sent out due to any specific information indicating there is a terrorist threat. He continued, "When we learn lessons about terrorism, we try to find ways to pass those lessons on."
While no specific threat has been indicated and the Hernando County School District was not among the six school districts reported to have Web-based information collected about them, it is important to keep in mind that vigilance is required. It is an opportunity to once again go over emergency response plans already in place and remind everyone in our community that each of us has the continued responsibility of reporting any suspicious activities.
Those items about which everyone should keep a watchful eye include:
* Strangers loitering around school campuses or bus stops.
* Unknown people taking photographs around school facilities or at bus stops.
* Items out of place around schools, such as vehicles parked close to buildings.
* Boxes or packages left in public places such as bathrooms, hallways, or outside doors or windows.
If you become aware of suspicious activity of any kind, it is important that you pass that information on to the proper authorities.
Roy Gordon, communications manager, Hernando County School District
