As some of you know...I post these blog topics on Facebook so a non-anonymous discussion can take place. It works out pretty good. A former local politician chastised me via email, saying, "Jim, it is my opinion that you allow people with an agenda or an axe to grind a venue that they do not deserve". That must be the Freedom of Speech Venue that the ex-politico is referring to. So now he can blame Facebook. Recently, a friend on Facebook was expressing some outrage after listening to the audio of a recent VB meeting. One of his friends responded with this: "I guess when you get all your information from local blogs and don't come to any meetings it would be quite hard to make an informed decision as blogs are "opinions" and not always facts". How much more factual can a digital recording be? Those quotes are real and therefore factual. The names have been withheld because I am a benevolent blogger...HA!
The following letter to the editor was in this weeks TI Sun. I can reproduce it here because a copy was sent to me by the author several days before it went to print. In my opinion, I agree with Carol's opinion and that is a FACT JACK. To quote another former politician.... "You can take that to the bank"! Hog-Wash..... referring to anyone who had an opinion that went against his....
The Riverwalk seems to be up for discussion these days so would like to make some comments on that and a few other things that are bothering me about the Bay.
Miller Avenue is a disgrace, the broken down building at the top of the hill, the old trailer that has been there for years and the junk laying around. The dumpsters on the left side of the road are always overflowing, they are not adequate for what they are being used for. The Old Homestead property needs to be spruced up and the sign for the Spot should be taken down before it falls down. Howell Avenue, which is village owned has been neglected for years along with the house on the corner. How anyone could let that old house come into such disrepair should be ashamed of themselves. The old Monticello Hotel with some of the windows boarded up, will this be part of the Riverwalk?
The old chamber bldg. could be fixed up and used as a welcome center and also a satellite for the police department. I think it would be comforting to people to see police visible and interacting with the tourist. It would project a good image. There are only a few businessmen downtown who take pride in the appearance of their property, I just wish more would follow their good example. I try and walk everyday and it makes me sad to see how things look on our main street. When I walk down Bethune St. to the post office it is so refreshing to see how well everything is maintained on that street.
In closing, I am not referring to the sandwich boards or the clothing on the street, I am talking about the general look of our streets, people do not even sweep the sand of the streets in the spring after the long winter. I wish we could generate some pride in what we have instead of spending money on something that, in my opinion, we do not need.
A concerned citizen and taxpayer
Carol Shepard
