Today's Letters: 'Scenic highway' is embarrassment
By LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
Published October 9, 2007
We were glad to see that the Courtney Campbell causeway was made a Florida scenic highway.
However , it seems that the Pinellas County end of the causeway is always overgrown with weeds and there is trash all over it until you get to the Hillsborough County line.
What kind of image does this present to visitors and to those of us who use it on a regular basis? Has Pinellas gotten to the point of not caring?
We haven't. Please help get the Courtney Campbell causeway cleaned up.
Bob Hall,Clearwater
Re: Scientology has big plans for landmark story, Sept. 29
Don't forgive any Scientology fines
Since the article concerning the status of the "Super Power building" by the Church of Scientology appeared, I have been waiting to see if there would be any letters to the editor. The article stated that the church owed the city of Clearwater $114,000 in fines (for failure to complete and bring the building up to code) and that the city had not decided how much of that amount to forgive.
Does the Building Department usually make such allowances to developers and/or construction companies that run overtime on their projects and accrue large fines?
If the municipal budget is so tight this fiscal year, why would any monies be forgiven? Surely, those dollars could be put to good use elsewhere in the community.
Patricia Bates Smith,Clearwater
Reclaimed water plan falls flat
Crystal Beach, in northern Pinellas County, is slated to be forced to accept a reclaimed water system in the coming months. Many of the residents of Crystal Beach, including this writer, have grave concerns about this installation for the following reasons.
1. Reclaimed wastewater breathed into the lungs by the mist from sprinklers and as residue remaining on foliage where children and dogs play has proven harmful to fish and birds.
2. Residents are being required to pay for the creation of a new utility that is being forced upon them without any prior consultation or effective notification.
3. Florida is not growing as before due to the tax and insurance burden and the majority of Pinellas property has already been developed, resulting in it being one of the most densely populated counties. Understanding the need to dispose of this wastewater, this writer requests that either other communities farther away from our delicate ecosystem near the gulf be able to elect to be the recipients of this minimally treated wastewater, or the scientists from the utility company devise other methods of disposal.
At the request of the Crystal Beach Community Association, Pinellas Utilities sent a representative to the association meeting this past week. This representative monopolized the meeting with banalities and demeaning superficialities. Members of the community were not given the opportunity to speak until the meeting was almost over.
Subsequently, the residents were beside themselves with anger at not receiving creditable, concise answers or the opportunity to express their concerns. Thus, even more animosity between county utilities and the community was created.
We in Crystal Beach pride ourselves on our concern for each other and for our unique historical evolution. This situation has caused ill feelings among the residents, convincing some that Florida is not a healthy place to bear and raise our children and that its local, highly paid governments raise a heavy hand on their constituency.
We do thank County Commissioner Susan Latvala for coming to the meeting and noting our concerns. We hope she will have the power to stay this decision until all the facts are gathered.
Georgene Wade, Crystal Beach
your voice counts
You may submit a letter to the editor for possible publication through our Web site at www.tampabay.com/letters, or by faxing it to (727) 445-4119, or by mailing it to Letters, 710 Court St., Clearwater, FL 33756. You must include your name, address and phone number. Letters may be edited for clarity, taste and length.