Editor, Times-Union: As President of the Warsaw Community Development Corporation, I read the recent letter to the editor from Kerry Dohner with much interest. His assertion that maintaining the economic vitality of our downtown is a waste misses a very important point. A healthy downtown district reflects upon the economics of our entire community. On April 22, Mayor Ernie Wiggins and I met with a businessman from Fort Wayne who is considering locating a new and exciting business in downtown Warsaw. He expressed to us how important it was for him to see that our downtown area has a fresh look. He remarked about all the improvements he has noticed taking place to the storefronts in downtown during the time he has been researching the location of his business in downtown Warsaw. His comments reminded me of my conversation with Colonel Tim Foley, conductor of the President's Own United States Marine Band during their recent trip to Warsaw. He observed that we had a very attractive downtown. He indicated during their two-month concert tour that the members of the band could gauge the economic vitality and the level of community pride by looking at the condition of the downtown.
Yes Kerry, maybe the large retailers have located elsewhere, but if you take time to stop and visit the merchants, restaurants and service providers in downtown Warsaw, you will find a group of dedicated individuals providing quality goods and services to the residents our community. You will find a mayor, city council and county government that understands the importance of maintaining a healthy "heart of the community." You will also be able to park in one of 2,220 parking spaces in the central business district compared to the 1,024 spaces in the Wal-Mart parking lot.
On behalf of the board of directors of WCDC, we extend our appreciation to those who strive to maintain and enhance our downtown. We applaud your efforts. We appreciate the vision of the mayor and city council for their leadership and investment in the central business district. We look forward to working with our elected leaders and the members of WCDC in continuing the improvements as we celebrate our great past and look forward to our bright future.
John Elliott President, Warsaw Community Development Corp.
Seat Belts
Editor, Times-Union: This is in response to your article titled "OK, OK, So I'll Wear My Seat Belt." We have discussed this very same topic on several occasions. We agree with you wholeheartedly that this law is really an invasion of our fought for freedom of choice here in the United States. Neither one of us has had a ticket for a seat belt violation. We wear ours most of the time, although our preference is not to wear one. But we know it is really more intelligent to wear one and it is the law. We feel like our rights here in the United States keep getting taken away by government that is concentrating on the smaller picture when it comes to priorities in real life. There are so many laws out there that should be enforced and not being taken seriously and so many laws that are really bogus that are being concentrated on too much. Example: Seat Belt Law, parking in a space too long, no prayer in schools, things of that nature.
If they are really looking to save lives or protect the innocent, they should be protecting people that are not responsible for their own lives. Example: Children under 18, etc. You are an adult and should be able to make your own decisions on situations such as this. A large number of children ride a school bus every day. What if that bus gets into an accident? Why does the bus drive have to wear a seat belt, and the children didn't even have the option to wear one? We saw a news report where footage from a camera on a school bus recorded an accident. The bus tipped over onto its side and every student was thrown to the roof. If we are going to have a seat belt law, it should be to protect the innocent. Every seat in every school bus should be equipped with seat belts for each student. Everyone under 18 should have to wear a seat belt, because they are not legally responsible for themselves. It's hard to believe that this is overlooked every day. Even though it is smarter to wear your seat belt all the time, it should be an adult's choice. It would even be a good idea to wear the seat belt just to set an example for our children. We do agree that it is crazy that Indiana enforces the seat belt law for automobiles, but doesn't have seat belts in school buses and has no helmet law for motorcycles. We feel these laws should be enforced for anyone under 18. But it should be an adults decision as is for smoking, extreme sports, consuming alcohol, etc. Being an adult, we are responsible for our own well-being and for the well-being of any child under the age of 18 years old, whether it is our own or someone else's.
John Finken and Pam Wallis
Winona Lake
County Treasurer
Editor, Times-Union: "Chief Deputy Treasurer of Kosciusko County for eight years!" "A professional?" "Ten years of experience!" "Dedicated!" "Honest!" "Beaming personality!" "Familiar with the job?" "The best candidate and we the taxpayers of this county deserve the best!" So go the accolades promoting a candidate for Kosciusko County Treasurer! Wow! Such glowing reports regarding an office that made a "clerical mistake" costing my wife and I our property!
Taxpayers of Kosciusko County, before you cast your vote make certain you put the right person into office, a person who will demonstrate compassion, and who will make certain the Treasurer's Office does not fail taxpayers by making blundering mistakes that cost others their livelihood! Incidentally, taxpayers, have you stood before the desk in the Auditor's Office and before the desk of the Treasurer's Office to make certain that your address information is correct? Do not "assume" the current mob in the courthouse do their work efficiently! Take it from someone who knows better, they do not!
Tom Huffman Texas via e-mail
Protect Us From Ourselves
Editor, Times-Union: So Gary Gerard got a ticket for not wearing his seat belt! And he wrote a column about it! Hmmm! Well, I say, "Well done, Gary." I agree with every word in his column (although I don't always feel that way about Gary's columns).
And let me add another point to his case. If we have police officers spending time to enforce seat belt laws, we probably have too many police officers. This is a poor use of our tax dollars, indeed a waste of our tax dollars. I, for one, believe that expenditures to protect me from others is a legitimate use of my tax dollar, but to protect me from myself is not something that I care to pay the government to do.
So why do we have a legislature that passes laws like this? And why do we have local public officials spending scarce money and resources on administering such laws? Shame on them! But shame on us too! For we are the ones who voted to send the people who pass such laws to the legislature. And we are the ones who voted for the local officials who administer the laws.
This can be a wake up call for each of us. We have a primary election coming up on May 4. Each of us can start working to correct the system by making sure that we get out and vote, by learning about the people who we vote for and by taking care that the people who we vote for to represent us and to govern us are fiscally responsible and have common sense.
Howard Woodward Jr. Warsaw via e-mail
Supports Bob Sanders
Editor, Times-Union: In 1998, Bob Sanders received the Man of the Year Award for his years of service to our community on civic boards like the Chamber of Commerce, Kosciusko Development Inc., Warsaw Community Development Corp. and Housing Opportunities of Warsaw. That award also recognized him for his generosity and commitment to the Cancer Care Fund and countless other charitable organization.
Bob Sanders is not the quiet, shy, stay-at-home type. He gets involved and is not afraid to speak up if he thinks there is a better way. We need elected leaders with that attitude. He is running for the seat of county council at-large. I am voting for him, and I urge you to vote for him too.
Tony Frazzetta Warsaw
Warsaw School Board
Editor, Times-Union: After reading the letter from Becky Thomas concerning the WCS Board and agreeing with her entirely, I just want to add my two cents about the current Warsaw Community School Board and things that people should possibly consider.
1. Election day is coming, so remember the events of the past.
2. If it is possible to impeach a president or a governor, maybe it is possible to impeach school board members or a school board president.
3. These people were elected to represent the taxpayers' concerns in their respective districts and I don't think they have done that.
