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Hernando Today

Lower Cost, Real Oversight

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Hernando Today

Published: October 24, 2008

Updated: 10/24/2008 06:46 pm

Lower Cost, Real Oversight

I've read with interest the letters to the editor regarding the pending referendum for the creation of an independent Spring Hill Fire Rescue District. In my mind, we can't lose sight of two things. This is not about the employees of the district; they do a great job, they are professional, they are well trained and they have strong leadership. This issue is about the board of fire commissioners - that's what this referendum addresses.

The current fire board is not competent to run this district. That's scary, but the candidates running for this office terrify me.

Has anyone doubted County Administrator David Hamilton's ability or commitment to this county? Has he not done what he said that he was going to do? Then let's allow him the opportunity to provide us with the same service at a lower cost with real oversight.

Come to a Spring Hill fire board meeting, that way you can enjoy being talked down to or totally ignored. See why the State Attorney's Office is investigating alleged Sunshine Law violations; it will be eye opening.

On Nov. 5 if you call 911, the same fire engine and ambulance, maybe even the ladder truck, will respond - with the same professional employees. The only difference will be our district will be managed by a competent board of county commissioners.

On Nov. 4, vote "no" to change the oversight of the Spring Hill Fire Rescue District.

David Green

Spring Hill

Mistakes And Excuses

Supervisor of Elections Annie Williams has now seen the light and is saving the taxpayer dollars? The only reason she did this is because her opponent, Shirley Anderson, pointed out the errors of her ways.

With her back to the wall and the press asking questions, Williams finally had the time to apply for a nonprofit stamp. Thanks for making the time to apply for this nonprofit status after wasting all that taxpayer money to now save the taxpayers $22,000 just in time for the election.

John Pizzo

Spring Hill

Rowden Makes Own Rules

Hernando County Commissioner Diane Rowden makes her own rules. On Wednesday morning, Rowden was spotted driving around the west side government center in her car with her election regalia in full colors.

She went past the supervisor of elections office four times very slowly. A few people in line made some very strong comments about what she was doing. She has no regard for election laws that prohibit electioneering with in 100 feet of the polls. Other people had to stand on Forest Oaks Boulevard. She should have been at work instead of campaigning.

Also, people of Spring Hill, when voting remember that it was Rowden who wanted the Spring Hill Fire Rescue District merged with Hernando County Fire Rescue only so that the county could control everything. Rowden is no friend of the people of Spring Hill. Remember her slogan from four years ago "getting the job done."

I do not think so.

Robert Kennedy

Spring Hill

Permanent Vacation

When voters go to the polls to cast their ballot on Nov. 4, it will be wise to consider just what a "yes" vote for creating an independent Spring Hill Fire Rescue District will bring to the residents of the new district.

A Spring Hill independent fire district would be one of more than 1,500 special districts in Florida. Spring Hill will be put in the same group as mosquito control districts, library districts and conservation districts - just to name a few. Not only will a "yes" vote give to a five-member fire commission the powers possessed by the board of county commissioners, it will also give them powers with virtually no oversight.

Yes, they will be required to file numerous reports to various state agencies, but these reports will be reviewed along with the other 1,500 special districts. Consider that at the current time most of the administrative duties of the Spring Hill district are provided by Hernando County. If the voters approve a special district these duties, and the personnel to administer them, will have to be provided by the district. This will mean hiring additional employees to administer things like payroll and human resources. So an independent Spring Hill Fire Rescue District will become just another bloated bureaucracy.

A "no" vote will do nothing more than eliminate the five-member board of fire commissioners. Anyone who says it means anything else is attempting to forecast the future. We live in a very uncertain time, any speculating on what may or may not happen in coming years is right out of the crystal ball. A "no" vote will also remove a board of fire commissioners that is increasingly becoming out of touch with the taxpayers of Spring Hill and, in some cases, showing outright hostility to anyone who has the audacity to question their decisions.

Their actions are not those of commissioners who hold the taxpayers' best interest in their decisions. This board has shown they cannot handle the power they have been given responsibly. We should not hand them even more power. Vote "no" on independence and send the board of fire commissioners on a permanent vacation.

Harry Chamberlain

Spring Hill

Vote Anderson

This morning's paper made me shake my head in disbelief about the 80 voters in Windward Village receiving double ballots with a note stating the correct one would be counted. How many more mistakes are Hernando Countians going to experience with their tax dollars spent unwisely, let alone the money spent on the mailings and the re-printing of ballots?

Supervisor of Elections Annie Williams touts her experience over the other candidates, something like 30 years in that department then elected when Anne Mau retired. Being in the workforce for more than 50 years, if I did my job like that and cost the company those dollars off the bottom line, I would have been fired. We can fire Williams. Don't vote for her - plain and simple.

On many occasions I have had the pleasure to speak with Shirley Anderson and asked the question: "What would you do different than the present supervisor of elections?" Out came a laundry list of things. That told me Anderson has done her homework, which I admire. Anderson is a dedicated professional and is concerned about our tax dollars.

The picture of the long lines in this morning's paper showed a huge turnout, which is evident of this overall election. Citrus County has 100,000-plus voters and they have five early voting polling places. Hernando has 127,000-plus voters and we have two early voting polling places. You can't turn on the TV or pick up a paper without reading encouraging views about early voting.

This is a presidential election and we always have huge turnouts of voters. Please let's not have a repeat performance of the past four years of costly mistakes.

Anderson has my vote.

Ann Marie Van Horn

Spring Hill

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