Letters to the Editor

Council should quit stalling and get needed work done

Lucy Ivanoff, a lawyer representing the interests of businesses, has suggested that Lori Smith recuse herself from the stormwater issue because her husband "runs the stormwater management division." 

No doubt, the statement regarding her husband is accurate. Equally, there is no doubt that the allegation comes from a party that has a vested interest and would most likely benefit if she were removed from this issue.

It's a shame that our council is so sharply divided these days. It's also a shame that projects such as the stormwater one have been postponed and delayed until they have reached a critical point. Sadly, we can't turn back the clock and begin this project when the need was first recognized. If so, it probably would have been less painful for all of us to pay for it, and the folks in harm's way would have suffered less. Furthermore, as new development progressed, it would have been logical to ask the developers to pay for the extra stormwater runoff that they cause.

We are already behind schedule for this work. Further delay will only make it worse. All of us need to share in the burden, including our local businesses, and it's up to our council to come up with a fair and thorough funding package.

It's time that as a whole community we stand up and take responsible action. In future years we will be glad that we did.  We would be in a much better position today if our council had addressed this problem years ago.

Lori Smith should remain in the considerations for this matter unless it is clear that she has a vested interest, not just a vague one. As a citizen with the broad interests of our community in mind, I ask that the council, including Lori Smith, get this job done and done properly. The same can be said of all the other projects being considered by the council.

Carl Litsinger

Waynesboro

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Proud to be a part of the Salvation Army

How wonderful it is to be a part of the Salvation Army! 

I serve as a volunteer on the Board of Advisors for the local unit of this great organization, founded in 1865 as an evangelical church to "befriend those who have no friends." 

This group, which relies on the donations of individuals and corporate donors, spends more than 83 cents of every dollar raised helping people. In the last year, for which reliable figures are available, the Salvation Army spent $2.8 billion running rehab centers, shelters and meal services for the needy. It served 64 million meals in the U.S. 

The Salvation Army is at the "top-of-the-heap in disaster relief all over the globe." I'm proud to be a bell-ringer for such a wonderful organization.

Bill Mayton

Waynesboro