W. S. Commission grades 'confused'

            I want to say that I have just completed reading my very first copy of the Seminole Chronicle, and overall it was informative, interesting and very good that our local news is covered so well. I will continue to pick up a copy at Barnie's in the Winter Springs Town Center.

            After these compliments, may I please make a constructive criticism suggestion? Your article on the "Grading of W.S.'s Commission" was a farce. I read your exact comments to my wife and asked her, based strictly on what was said, how she would grade the Commission members. Her feelings were exactly as mine were. Those that you gave a "B" to were really a "C" or "D" at best.

            Not that I would "grade" them. I don't even know them nor care to be one of the "public listeners" at a Commission meeting. Politics stink and I make it a practice, even though it may be foolish, to never vote for an incumbent. I really do believe that after one term, all of the "good" that a politician can do has been done and from then on, it is self-serving or just good old-fashioned "crapola" that is left for one to do!

            How can a public figure, as a member of a city commission, be graded with a "B" when ... "doesn't bring much knowledge to the dais ... seems merely there to offer her judgment ... she is leaving the vision on most projects ... not a strong leader?" In another case, you say ... "she has a depth of experience in working with city boards" ... while at the same time you say "she's confused on the dais, even when discussing issues that are relatively mundane and routine..." And then you proceed to give that commissioner a "B."

            Check out what an "A" or "B" grade stands for. It certainly does not allow for "confused" and "doesn't bring much knowledge." Those are "C" and "D" characteristics, at best. I wish you had been some of my college instructors! I would have made a 4.0 grade point average were my instructors so lenient.

            Have some fortitude. If you really think what you say is true, don't be mean-spirited but certainly don't be a sissy! It makes everything else you write about be considered with a skeptical eye.

            One last comment: the Winter Springs "Town Center" is nothing more than a Publix supermarket, with a horribly-designed parking lot with eight million stop signs. It is too bad our city fathers didn't drive to "small town America" and see what a real "town center," square, etcetera is before they hired a company, whose relatives obviously own a street sign company, to develop this fancy strip mall.

        Why, after going on at least two years, do we still have vacant businesses, while even more are being built? Why, if we really admit it, is there nothing more than a Publix and some sandwich and hot dog stands, along with very few business services that are found in gobs in every strip mall in Florida (dry cleaners, a bank, tanning salon - like there is no sun here?) I've written to the city about my thoughts on this and the standard reply comes that makes me wonder if they think the citizens of Winter Springs are idiots. But wait - maybe we are! We keep electing them, don't we?

Tim Hobbs

Winter Springs

When you have to blame someone...

            Going back to 1998 the Winter Springs City Commission employed the very same self-serving tactics, off-and-on each and every time it was the city manager's time to get dunked. I was stunned, when with a hall packed with people facing emotional issues, the Commissioner chose to, as you say, "lambaste" the city manager. The little episode was unconscionable, given the fact that the permit was irrevocable at this time, but it served its purpose - political expediency, as demonstrated by the attendees.

            This irrational act was followed by a sickening attempt at a Charter revision lowering the number of votes required by the Commission to fire the Charter officers in our city.

            Seminole County does not like the Winter Springs city manager and would like to see him gone.

            The People for Good (Bad) Government have since 1998 employed character assassination, false charges, misinformation, and always taken information out of context.

            Unfortunately, some of our representatives have fallen for the ruse created by this group, and again for political expediency have sold their souls. It is a sad day in Winter Springs when we have elected officials playing the role of double agent in order to satiate their political thirst.

            Seminole County and the People for Bad Government want the city manager out and we must at least go through the motions that we are supporting that position through acts and actions from the dais.

            Winter Springs will not remain the beautiful city it has been if the good people in our city allow the cellar tactics of those involved to get hold and control the political scene within our little piece of heaven.

            I know deep in my heart that the intelligence of the people, in what will go down as a legacy to our children, will stand the daggers of the insolent.

Edward Martinez Jr.

Winter Springs City Commission candidate