Letters to the Editors

Pinellas County will miss you, Dorothy Ruggles

© St. Petersburg Times, published May 17, 2000

Re: Ill elections officer to resign, story, May 13.

The citizens of Pinellas County are indeed losing a true public servant with the resignation of Dorothy Ruggles as our supervisor of elections.

Dotty has provided the Pinellas community with honesty, integrity and dedication beyond belief. She knows no party affiliation; you can say her elections office was blind, just like Lady Justice. She administered the state's election codes with fairness and class. You always knew where you stood with Dotty.

I was standing in the elections office on the afternoon in July 1988 at the end of the qualifying period; at noon there were no other candidates for supervisor of elections. There was a sigh of relief, but you could see at that time the determination in Dotty to be the best supervisor she could. She knew that this was going to be a growing experience for her, as it would also be for Pinellas County, as she led our elections into the next century. From the moment she took office, the era of quality and integrity took a step up to the next level.

I am very proud not only to have known Dotty personally but to have her as my supervisor of elections. I, along with the rest of Pinellas, wish her well with all our prayers.
-- Dale Woodruff, Clearwater

This sod planting business is a stroke of foolishness

Why is it that in the driest spell this area has ever known, some brilliant planner decides that now is the time to waste thousands of gallons of precious water? All along U.S. 19 around Tarpon Springs, workmen have been scraping up the grass from the shoulders and the median strip and replacing it with sod.

Then, to compound the stupidity, huge tankers spray thousands of gallons of water on the sod every day. And all of this is being done during the rush hours.

Could they not have waited until the rains came, and then could they not have performed this work during the non-rush hours? In the meantime, I am being warned, under threat of heavy fines, not to water my grass more than one day each week.
-- Dennis Harrison, Tarpon Springs

How about sprinkling some truth in with water threats?

Re: Drought means we must scale back daily water consumption, column, May 13.

The column by E.D. Vergara, executive director of the Southwest Florida Water Management District, went on to infinity about how "we" should conserve water.

Downtown Clearwater redevelopment wants to build 1,200 new housing units. Surely they won't be using water! A "spiritual" event will be allowed to water a building once an hour so we can see a blurred image.

"We the people" need water before any of the above projects use it all. Don't threaten us with "the dire need to cut back" on consumption "to curb more drastic measures in future water restrictions." We need something better than that advice, and that is truly honest answers.
-- E.S. Hugo, Clearwater

Growth restrictions make sense for saving water, too

Sometimes I feel like Alice in La-La Land. Our lawns are burned out, foundation plantings are dying, citrus leaves curling back on themselves. We are in the midst of a severe water crisis. In Clearwater, the Fire Department is going to have to curtail services or slap us with a fire fee. Yet plans are afoot to build 1,200 new living units in downtown Clearwater, 500 more on the beach, in addition to at least several hundred at the former Sunshine Mall. Who will provide potable water for all these new residents?

Our city government should get its priorities straight. Focus on the here and now, and curtail development before undertaking additional grandiose schemes. If they want to develop something, they could take a leading role in the development of a desalination plant in Clearwater for Pinellas County.

We are surrounded by water, but it is not drinkable water. Will we soon be forced to boil the water from our taps? Use the money slated for new development to solve the water crisis by building a desalination plant for Clearwater.

Our city commissioners have an opportunity now to start planning a desalination plant in Clearwater. This will leave a lasting legacy of enduring value.
-- Kirk Rasmussen, Clearwater

U.S. 19 needs some more traffic from police cruisers

I have lived in Pinellas County for the majority of time since 1951. I have traveled U.S. 19 for many years, and it has gotten progressively worse.

At the present time, I live at U.S. 19 and Harn Boulevard. I drive from there to Bryan Dairy Road every day, Monday through Friday. I seldom see a police cruiser.

Most of the offenses I see are excessive speed, driving with no lights at 6:30 a.m. while it's still dark out, or bright lights glaring and tailgating. Also, no one seems to be using directional signals.

I breathe a sigh of relief each day I get home safely. I know we have more serious crimes to deal with; however, this needs more attention. The life you save may be mine -- or yours.
-- Barbara Ciolli, Clearwater

Rail transit plans have some big holes in them

Re: Committee puts transit solutions on track, story, May 14.

A light rail/mass transit system would be a great means of easing traffic around the county. However, I keep getting the willies every time I read articles talking about a monorail system being installed instead of light rail, or an elevated train, let alone a system that you would find at Walt Disney World.

Whatever the county has planned for a mass transit system, there are two key things it needs to remember: Connections to and from Hillsborough County's proposed rail lines will be needed, and they cannot neglect the north county area. After looking at the map of the proposed lines, I was aghast at how North Pinellas and connections with Hillsborough County were overlooked.

The planners must remember that they need to plan these rail lines right the first time, so residents are not paying the price for their lack of imagination 30 years down the road.
-- John Fontana, Palm Harbor

Fixing Highland Avenue's problems is not rocket science

It is not just U.S.19 that is designed as an accident- and rage-producing road. Four areas on Highland Avenue, which was completed in 1999, are accidents waiting to happen.

They are traveling north at Gulf-to-Bay and at Drew Street, and traveling south at Drew Street and at Druid Road. The right lane should be designated right turn only at each of these intersections. As it is now, people use the right lane for passing on the right side and forcing traffic into oncoming traffic in the center lane.

I travel this area several times weekly and I have seen several near misses. It doesn't take a genius to figure how to fix the problem.
-- Marlin Marsh, Clearwater

Blocking the street for basketball is unnecessary

Re: Police use hoops to keep guns from kids, story, May 13.

I question the judgment of the Tarpon Springs police in closing the only street through Explorer's Cove so a dozen kids could shoot hoops in the street. The Tarpon Springs Middle School playground is one block away with 12 basketball hoops and Howard Park is about a block away with acres of paved parking lots. Using either the playground or the park would have made more sense than blocking off the street.
-- Donald Mann, Tarpon Springs

A round of applause, please, for shopping center managers

Re: Countryside Mall endures growing pains, story, May 7.

It is only appropriate that a shopping center that has served as a keystone of development in Countryside expands. The services and quality of this center deserve this success, and the citizens of North Pinellas have proven that by their patronage.

In addition, other centers (Lowe's and Costal Plaza) have added and improved their properties. All this is a reflection of management and ownership who live and work in our community.

Hats off to Bill Karnes (Countryside Mall) and Jason Lessor (Costal Plaza) for being part of our community.
-- John Wiser, Clearwater

© St. Petersburg Times. All rights reserved.