LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

Flawed Reasoning

"Move to question." I struggled to understand this phrase at last night's school board meeting. Why is (or was) there such a rush as to bring Superintendent Wayne Alexander's salary package to vote?

Mr. Malcolm's comments regarding the upcoming board budget meetings were right on the mark. Why is the board pushing this package through when the school budget for next year has not yet even been discussed? Why could they not wait until the June meetings to discuss this and bring it to a vote then?

It's very possible that teacher's salary raises will be in the 2 to 4 percent range, or possibly none at all.

The point is we don't know what we are able to finance with regards to salaries for the next year and yet the board feels he is deserved of a 5.5 percent raise, matching last year's administrative raises (bearing in mind that Alexander has only been in this position for less than a year) with no thought to the ability to budget this.

I can only imagine getting a job, then after several months into it, find out that everyone else is late in getting their review and pay raises from before I got there. I then feel I'm deserving of the same raise with no regard to the fact that I haven't even been there a year.

What kind of reasoning is that?

Hernando needs to speak up and address these issues, else we are going to constantly get taken advantage of.

Robert Neuhausen

Spring Hill

Parks Exceed Expectations

I am a recent newcomer to Spring Hill and a subscriber to The Tampa Tribune/Hernando Today. I am writing in regard to your May 16 front-page article about the reopening of the renovated Bayport Park facility. My wife and I visited there this past week, and we want you to know that we are adding it to our list of favorite places to visit from our new residence. We are currently "snowbirds" in Florida, and we are finding that living here in Spring Hill is more than living up to our hopes and expectations.

Bayport Park is one example that I have found to have superb outdoor recreation facilities. We particularly enjoyed watching the nine manatees we saw swimming around the pier!

Another example is the Anderson Snow Sports Complex, where we go to watch two of our grandsons play Little League. The parks are clean and well-maintained and comfortable to get to and to be at.

Finally, I have to say that Veterans Memorial Park on Spring Hill Drive has become my most favorite place for my almost daily "walk in the park." The walking path is perfect with its curves and ups and downs, and the sky views of sun and blue sky and clouds are inspiring. And I have to say that the landscaping and maintenance by the crew of Andy and others is superb! The grass and the trees and the fields are always in great condition.

So, I thank Tony Marrero and you for the front-page coverage of Bayport Park, and I hope you will keep up your "Life Printed Daily" (the good and the bad) for as long as I am around - I'll be 71 years old in June.

George W. Carlson

Spring Hill