Today's Letters: Spring Hill gets mixed message

By LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
Published August 10, 2007

Re: Mariner Boulevard and Spring Hill Drive intersection.

Spring Hill gets mixed message

County Engineer Charles Mixson, let me get this straight. We are living with water restrictions due to drought conditions caused by a severe lack of rain this past year. Yet, one of the major reasons cited for the delay in construction at Mariner and Spring Hill Drive is because of "excessive rains."

How can that be possible? Face it, you can't have it both ways. Are we in a drought, or are we suffering from excessive rains?

I understand the job was more complicated than originally planned. Blaming whomever did the initial project planning and mentioning that most big jobs allow for a "reserve fund" to handle any unforeseen problems seems pointless. I don't think anyone really cares.

What I do think is the following:

1. If this project were being done in the center of Brooksville, it would have been done in a timely manner regardless of setbacks.

2. The disregard and disdain shown to the small-business owners in that area is insulting and infuriating.

3. I don't think the problem is mismanagement or incompetence. I think it is a wicked recipe made up of greed and budget padding, with a little bit of incompetence thrown in.

4. I think it's time residents of Spring Hill start thinking about incorporating into a city with its own budget and elected board. The days of being treated like a redheaded stepchild to Brooksville have to come to an end.

Spring Hill is a large, thriving community of people from all over the country who came to Hernando for a better life. We have enormous power in our tax dollars and it's time we start using that power to govern the areas west of U.S. 41 and not just to line the pockets of commissioners, developers and good ol' boys.

Besides, between the scandals at the Brooksville Police Department and the Housing Authority, not to mention the county's former Department of Public Works site (has it been cleaned up yet?) lead me to believe that the people running the county are simply incapable of handling Spring Hill and Brooksville populations and governments.

You have printed letters in the past (I believe it was while the Hickory Hill arguments were in fashion) from Brooksville residents who stated they did not want Brooksville and areas east of them to turn into "a mess like Spring Hill."

I believe many of my neighbors will agree with me when I say I'd rather live in productive chaos than in the quiet corruption that makes up our county seat.

Let's get started on seceding from Brooksville and incorporating Spring Hill into its own city.

Who's with me?

Angela Welsh, Spring Hill

Re: Honoring a fallen soldier.

Hometown hero should be honored

This is America. We're entitled to freedom of speech, and certainly to freedom of opinion. But these freedoms must be dictated by courtesy and respect for one another, mixed with some good ol' common sense.

A hometown hero will be put to rest Saturday. It's a time for us all to put aside our differences of opinion about the war and support a family that has made the ultimate sacrifice, and to show respect for the fellow soldiers who will, no doubt, be at the funeral, many facing their own deployments into combat zones.

Yes, we're all entitled to our opinion on the politicians, the government, the president, the war. But let's show the family some compassion and let them mourn their loss without having to also suffer derogatory jabs about the job their son did, the career he chose and the leaders he followed. There's a time and a place for everything. This is simply not the time or place for political bickering.

We are asking friends and neighbors, ordinary citizens like you and me, to line the streets of the funeral procession, holding flags - not in support of the war or in protest of the war, but in honor of the sacrifice this young man made in serving our country's call to duty.

And if you find yourself not in possession of a U.S. flag, maybe it's the perfect time to purchase one.

Barbara Newlin, Spring Hill

[Last modified August 9, 2007, 20:41:32]