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© St. Petersburg Times, published July 24, 2000
I think we have to give a big thumbs up to our Clearwater mayor and city commissioners for Thursday's very organized meeting (considering the very trying week they just went through).
Not only was it orderly, but many things were accomplished and not all of the talk was about losing our city manager.
One man presented a proposal about fining folks who choose to drop cigarette butts on our streets and sidewalks or throwing them out their car windows. He even brought a sample of a good warning sign for those who choose to litter. I hope something is done with that one and real soon.
The commissioners also relieved many residents and aggravated a few by choosing not to get involved with who can and who cannot rent their residential property for any certain length of time. As they said, we really don't need to get the city involved in more rules and regulations that would be hard to enforce anyway.
The best thing was that Mayor Brian Aungst said they must all work together with the city staff to restore trust to the people of this community. Without trust, nothing works like it should.
I was pleased that they appointed the assistant city manager, Bill Horne, interim manager while they look for another city manager. I also hope they can find someone from our own area -- if not Bill Horne, then someone else who knows city government so we don't have to spend thousands for another search.
-- Fran Glaros, Clearwater
This is just the right time and place for Clearwater Mayor Brian Aungst and the commissioners to start to gain the trust of the Clearwater taxpayers.
Let the Florida Department of Transportation build the Memorial Causeway Bridge. It's a state bridge and it's their responsibility to build the bridge. This would free up more than $30-million of Penny for Pinellas money to build a new library.
Write to them and tell them you feel this way too. It's the right path to take.
-- Frank Spatuzzi, Clearwater
I was very dismayed at the outcome of the vote on the downtown Clearwater referendum.
The deal being offered by the de Guardiola/Renaissance group was an unbelievably generous one for our city. Yes, they would have made money on it, but the public lands would have been developed without further cost to the citizens. We would have had the most beautiful library, a more beautiful park and a movie theater downtown.
Now, we have nothing. And for those of you who thought you could get what you wanted by voting down Question 1 on the 99-year leases and voting yes for Question 2 on the main library and Question 3 on the land swap with Calvary Baptist, let me make it clear to you that you have shot yourself in the foot.
I'm sure there are those who would tell you that this isn't so, but they are lying to make themselves look good and to position themselves well for the next election.
We do not have enough money to build an adequate library. We have the money to build a small, substandard library on the land available and -- guess what -- that's what we have right now.
The Calvary Baptist Church will become vacant until someone decides to buy it, and there's no way that they will get the price that de Guardiola was willing to pay for it.
We have a mayor and a commission with a vision and with courage to push for positive change in this city. I think it's laudable that they didn't stoop to the base tactics of the Save the Asphalt group but rather continued to push truth.
What is distressing is that it didn't work, that a few ignorant, but loud, individuals could produce fear in the hearts of our residents such that they would vote down the most ambitious and exciting prospect for downtown development ever in this city.
-- Joanie Sigal, Clearwater
The recent actions by the special interests that seek to subsidize the presence of the Toronto Blue Jays in Dunedin have invited scrutiny. I mean the spectacle of Cecil Englebert, acting in his official capacity as city commissioner, hiding the negotiating position of the Blue Jays.
An item on the negotiating list shows the fallacy of the baseball wannabes' position.
The Blue Jays want the city, meaning we taxpayers, to guarantee a certain level of ticket sales. But the only reason to have the Blue Jays, or any other attraction here, is the ability to draw a crowd. The Blue Jays want us to guarantee their performance, when in fact we have every right to expect the Blue Jays to give us a guarantee that they can perform.
For this arrangement to make sense, the Blue Jays have to perform both as an attraction that can draw people's interest, and meet their financial obligation for the payments due on their lease.
The special interests have it exactly backward.
-- Charles E. Merrill, Dunedin
My compliments to Largo City Manager Steve Stanton on his comments regarding the Largo Police Department, about his "strong sense of pride and ownership" in the department and its accomplishments and achievements.
The department received national accreditation, no small honor, and several awards for its efforts in domestic violence.
As a resident of Largo, I thought Stanton's offer to serve the enclaves in Largo was a good and reasonable one and an excellent touche to Sheriff Everett Rice's offer to take over the policing in Largo.
I believe Largo has a quality police department, but not one without problems. The department is currently working to solve those problems, most of which seem to revolve around a few individuals, not the entire department.
We in Largo are proud of our police department and the service it renders. As for Rice's offer to take over the policing in Largo, thanks, but no thanks. I don't even consider it an option.
Perhaps Sheriff Rice could try Clearwater. As of this date, no one has been arrested by the Largo Police Department for wearing a baseball cap and no Largo officer has been arrested for allegedly stalking his ex-girlfriend.
It is my opinion that if there are a few bad apples in the barrel, get rid of them. Don't throw the barrel away and sell the farm.
-- Barbara Smith, Largo
I would like to thank the voters of Tarpon Springs for their overwhelming support of Helen Ellis Memorial Hospital in the July 11 referendum. Your affirmative vote allows the hospital to affiliate with University Community Hospital of Tampa and places us in a very strong position to continue to provide the very best health care and the promotion of wellness to our community.
Residents of Tarpon Springs have a hospital they can be proud of, where employees, volunteers and physicians are dedicated and committed to making sure that patients receive the best care.
Once again, on behalf of the board of directors, employees, volunteers and physicians of Helen Ellis Memorial Hospital, thank you very much for your vote of support.
-- Lester H. Garner, president Tarpon Springs Hospital Foundation Inc.
In our society today it seems like all you read or hear about our teens and young adults is negative.
My husband and I want to say something positive by applauding the cast of West Side Story, which appeared recently at the Largo Cultural Center. These young people deserve a standing ovation.
Bravo! Bravo!
-- Jim and Elaine Keifer, Largo
Re: Insider's Notebook, July 17 column.
Please do not name the new alternative high school after Ronald Reagan.
I think it is about time that we honor one of the greatest Florida governors: Leroy Collins.
Mr. Collins was loved and respected by everyone and was appointed to a government office in Washington, D.C.
He even turned down an offer to run as vice president in order to fulfill his obligations.
He not only wrote books about pioneer Floridians but also some outstanding articles in the St. Petersburg Times for a few years after leaving office.
-- Josephine Detert, Largo