Letters
Letters to the editor, Nov. 11
TBO.com
Published: November 10, 2011
Dismissal ugly; Stabins shamefulPublished: November 10, 2011
This 14-year county homeowner was saddened, disappointed and disgusted by the ugly manner in which consummately professional, intelligently experienced County Administrator David N. Hamilton was dismissed by the BOCC after nearly four years in command.
A county commission collectively accountable to taxpayers like you and me, who remain their paymasters for as long as they legislate in Hernando County government! These men with the admirable exceptions of longtime County Commissioner David D. Russell and first-time Commissioner Wayne Dukes, representing the "for's" in the 3-2 vote — Commissioners Druzbick, Adkins for whom I have personal respect but not for their enigmatic "knee-jerk" extremely poor judgment and Mr. Stabins, now happily facing four challengers for his dishonored seat in District 1.
To add insult to injury, that negative 3-2 vote was reprehensibly led by Stabins, in my opinion the most incompetent, unskilled elected public official in the history of Hernando County, who dealt a needless unforgivable blow to Mr. Hamilton and his family.
All commissioners were well aware of his current solicitation of the Sarasota County administrator position. Hopefully, Sarasota will clearly recognize the folly of the aforementioned 3-2 vote and their own good fortune in selecting Mr. Hamilton among the eight finalists of the original 67 candidates.
There is no earthly raison d'etre for Sarasota to be phased by the stupidity of the ill-advised referenced decision reported on Nov. 9 in Hernando Today on the front page.
Lest we forget, the personal bitterness and envy of one man toward another I firmly believe cost Hernando County taxpayers $90,000! That figure represents Mr. Hamilton's severance, which could have been avoided if one of the aforesaid three votes allowed Mr. Hamilton to continue until Dec. 31 as he requested.
Why? From Hernando Today A6 — "The majority of board members expressed growing dissatisfaction with him in the last several days, compounded when he decided to fight for the $90,000 in salary and benefits he believes he is entitled to." (Sounds like a childish Stabins declaration to me.)
Indeed, the foregoing severance was according to contract and would not have been paid by taxpayers if the BOCC had allowed Hamilton to work until year's end. Solution? Appoint articulate, savvy former county commissioner Len Tria as the point man to select the next county administrator, excluding the current District 1 commissioner from any input whatsoever in the referenced selection.
Advice? Insist that the BOCC refrain from making Hernando County the "laughing stock" of Florida's 67 counties now and ad infinitum.
Chuck Schlakman
Spring Hill
What's the point?
Re: "Luck has better odds" in the Nov. 3 edition of Hernando Today.
Luck drives magnet schools enrollment! It's difficult to comprehend the decision-making process that led towards "luck of the draw" as the major component in determining student enrollment.
Riddle me this:
How can we achieve diversity?
How can we match an educational curriculum/structure to student skills and desires?
How can we ensure more students on free/reduced lunches?
How can we get (qualify for) federal grants (aka free money)?
Answer: A lottery!
This decision and its supporting criteria raises an obvious question: What is the mission/vision/goals/objectives of magnet schools?
Tom Deutschle
Weeki Wachee
Impeach Obama
President Barack Obama promised the most open and transparent government in our history when he was elected.
What have we gotten?
I have a hard time even recognizing our government anymore.
The Obama administration will now respond to Freedom of Information Act requests by lying and falsely stating that documents they deem damaging to his administration do not exist. They are telling us upfront they will not tell the truth. If the documents don't exist, then there can't be a lawsuit to obtain them.
What has happened to our country? Is this the "hope and change" we were promised? The Justice Department has blocked every attempt to gain information on "Fast and Furious," Solyndra, White House visitor logs and the Black Panther voter scandals, among many others. This administration is a total disgrace.
Now we also find Obama is circumventing Congress and making his own rules. He has become a dictator with his executive orders. Is this democracy? Is this what we want for our country? This is not how a free country works. He is sworn to protect and defend the Constitution and uphold the laws of the land. He is not.
I am surprised that Congress has not started the impeachment process against Obama. But if Congress can't or won't get rid of him, then we the voters must. If he gets four more years in office, what will be left of our country?
We must defeat him in 2012.
Mike Flavin
Spring Hill
Handout vs. perk
Why is it, if I apply for Medicaid and food stamps, it's considered a "handout," but when my government representative gives him/herself a pay raise and free health care for life, it's considered a "perk?"
Remind me again what the government representative's job description is?
Shouldn't they be drug tested?
William Kehoe
Brooksville