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Pasco Letters to Editor

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The Tampa Tribune

Published: January 6, 2008

Hear Our Cries

This sorrowful update to our numerous pleadings, since 1999, for a caution light and a turn lane in both directions at the intersection of Lanier Road and State Road 54 just west of Zephyrhills has so far gone unrequited.

As a result of this lack of response to our requests, three people have died, another two were severely injured and multiple families are left to wonder why Florida ignores their cries.

Among the responses was one from the state Department of Transportation's Keith Crawford on Dec. 14, eight days after the latest "accident" which killed two of our friends.

Crawford stated that DOT evaluated traffic flow in April (2007) - this was after the busy system in Zephyrhills - and justified their non-action by concluding that "judgments" must be made in regard to where the most good can be accomplished.

Hopefully, DOT can provide data showing where more good was accomplished elsewhere. We await this information.

Another response was from James C. Widman of Pasco County. He stated he is sorry to hear of the accident on Dec. 6 and that Traffic Operations will investigate and provide recommendations.

Hopefully, Traffic Operations will answer our pleas and not subject us to continued danger of life and limb at this intersection. In the meantime, we are burying our dead.

I am renewing this request for a traffic light and turn lanes in both directions at Lanier Road and S.R. 54 to preclude further mayhem to the residents of Colony Hills, South Hill and Sateen and Glossom streets, plus Buck Road - all of whom must enter Lanier to access their homes.

GORDON KRAAI

Zephyrhills

Class Has Class

I have some open advice for Dade City commissioners Hutch Brock, Steve Van Gorden, Scott Black and Eunice Penix. If I were on the commission, my first motion would be to offer the city manager job to Jim Class. I think he would take it if offered.

What I am suggesting is that Class not be subjected to the usual application process. That would almost be insulting, considering how well he is already known. No longtime city resident and employee is going to be willing to publicly stick his neck out to risk having his head painfully and humiliatingly cut off.

If I were in Class' position, there would be no way I would apply for the city manager job unless I was prepared to leave city residence and employment if not selected. Class has shown how capable he is; he certainly knows the city better than anyone else you could get. He has class.

Far from demanding a large salary, he has often refused to take increases when the city was in dire financial straits. Would anyone else do that? He is well-respected and has a natural love for Dade City that no newcomer could possibly have.

We would save money because we are already paying Class, and we would only need to hire an assistant finance officer to assist him with his current duties as finance director, at a substantially lower sum than any new city manager would want.

We would be saving money and, more importantly, truly getting the best man for the job.

NORMAN CAREY

Dade City

Defending Moon Lake

I love the satirical wit of Tribune columnist Tom Jackson, but there are times when "thought-provoking" becomes dangerous.

Decades of prejudice have labeled the Moon Lake area of Pasco County as a "place and people to be avoided." Unfortunately, there are those who will read Jackson's work ("Nevermind 2007; Pasco County Exerted Its Influence On The World In '08," Dec. 30) and understand it not for how it was written but rather as confirmation of long-held prejudice.

What is to be so feared about Moon Lake? Perhaps it is because you do not have to "key-in" to enter the secure area behind the wall that so many have come to call home. Perhaps it is because there is no "wise one" to tell the residents what color to paint their homes or remind them when their lawn is over the mandated inch level.

It could, of course, be a source of fear for some that the residents of Moon Lake are not the clones of pulpits, nor are they the intellectual casualties of newspaper editorials. I suspect that among some there is great fear that the residents of Moon Lake are capable of independent and original thought (this has become unconstitutional, I hear).

This "separate species" of American, while admired by readers of the works of Ayn Rand, are the children who are ridiculed, prejudged and accused without cause and in many cases seen as "less than."

I offer for your consideration the possibility that your home was built by a resident of Moon Lake, that another resident of Moon Lake installed your windows and doors and that the school bus driver, health care worker, triage nurse, fireman, and power company worker who comes out after the storm all could share the same dreaded ZIP code.

PENO HARDESTY

Moon Lake

The Holiday Blues

Two days after Christmas, and two of my loved ones left. I walk back into the quiet, empty house, and the tears come. Some time goes by, and I pull out of that one.

My heart is aching. My stomach feels as if it has moved up high, and a feeling almost like fear overtakes me. Some time goes by, and I pull out of that one.

I sit and look around. All the decorations I spent weeks on are all still there, but why do they look so different? I know why: There is no anticipation now in looking at them.

Another wonderful season of celebrating the birth of Christ has passed, and my mind jumps ahead to the empty, quiet days ahead: No friends bringing gifts. No city programs to walk to, decorations to admire, churches with choirs singing carols. No wonderful phone calls saying "Merry Christmas" from my loved ones in three other states. No eager waiting for the mailman and the UPS man bearing gifts from afar. And no aroma of turkey.

But my refrigerator is packed with leftovers, and the kitchen is full of snacks, treats, cookies and calories. Friends, please help me eat it all.

Now I am moving ahead and thinking of the new year. My life starts over and is full of hope for another year. Happy New Year.

NANCY B. FELHEIM

Dade City

Agencies Failed

Everyone is aware of the atrocities found at the Lombardi houses in Viva Villas. The neighborhood called the sheriff's department, Animal Services and the Florida Department of Children and Families for help. The neighborhood pointed out problems throughout the year. Our county and state agencies did not take any action to solve the issues with the two households on Frost Drive.

And it was not for a few weeks while Diane Lombardi's sister was in the hospital, as some have been reporting. This happened over a series of months. It took a second death at the house before anyone even looked in the house.

The county claims they can change no policies or procedures to prevent this from happening again. The same scenario, it seems, would play out the same way.

And now it can start all over. It was decided in court that Diane Lombardi can have one of her dogs back. Instead, the judge should be prosecuting her for animal cruelty.

The government agencies whose task is to protect people and animals in Pasco County and the state did not protect the neighbors in Viva Villas or the animals trapped in the filth of the houses.

FRANK BORCHERDING

Hudson

No Celebratory Cause

Regarding "Bus System Serves 1 Million," Dec. 30:

Missing from the article is the cost per rider. The county budget for the bus service is $9.9 million, so the cost per rider breaks down to a dime shy of being $10 that taxpayers pay for a 50-cent ride. This is a deal for riders but no bargain for taxpayers.

Commissioners will argue that part of the money comes from federal grants - like grant money isn't taxes from your pocket and mine.

HARTline in Tampa did a study not long ago. When they divided the number of daily riders into the cost of the bus service, each daily rider got about $3,000 worth of rides for about $200 in fares.

Come on! Why is this cause for celebration?

JAMES B. JOHNSON

Port Richey

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