LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
Posted on Wednesday, July 16, 2008
Those who play should pay I recently heard the General Manager, Tommy Bailey, at a Property Owners Association Board meeting say that 35 percent of all property assessments are used to pay for golf.
I assure you this is a much, much higher percentage than the percentage of POA members who play golf. It is $ 8. 40 per month, $ 100. 80 per year, for each improved lot and $ 5. 60 per month, $ 67. 20 per year, for each unimproved lot.
Do those of us who do not play golf want to spend our money this way ?
Using the figures from a recent article in the Weekly Vista, 35 percent of the assessments on all lots in Bella Vista per year is $ 2, 748, 849. 60.
Mr. Bailey also said, as I understand it, that expenditures for golf are projected to be $ 2. 9 million more than the revenue from golf for the year.
Can or does anyone care enough to try to explain this to me ?
I am not against golf. I just think those who play golf should pay for all of it the same way you do when you go to a restaurant, or buy items at the grocery store, clothing store, etc. Dick Deaton Bella Vista Golfers won't be back to play I was recently on my biannual vacation in your beautiful city of Bella Vista. I was reading the paper and stumbled across the article about overseeding. This will not affect my summer family vacation at The Greens 2, but, will almost likely cancel my yearly spring vacation, renting a house from Vacation Rentals. Every March a bunch of co-workers and myself come down to golf while we still have snow here in Wisconsin.
We appreciate and understand the "Give-em-a-Break Hole Program."
I don't think we can continue to travel to your area to golf 126 holes of dormant grass - not to mention walking to every ball and leaving the cart on the path.
As much as we have enjoyed your hospitality, we must consider other destinations. We are only six guys who play 36 holes a day for four days in late March, but it will be 48 less rounds played in 2009.
Other people will most likely do the same once they realize what has happened, not to mention your own residents who I was talking tolast week. If you can afford losing more rounds annually to achieve better turf, good for you. I personally am going to miss your friendly faces and conversations at the clubhouses, starter shacks, and cart drop offs.
Chuck Schroeder Little Chute, Wis. Where's the substance ? I agree with Sue Tellkamp who wondered why the editorials are of little or no substance. The previous editor wrote editorials that addressed local issues. Her style was biting and some might say she was controversial. But at least she was giving thought and space to the issues of the day. I suspect Mr. Grant was hired as more of a manager than an editor and that perhaps he was either asked, or decided himself, to not rock anybody's boat. I also believe he is trying to please the most vocal of the population - those retirees who settled here many years ago and would like nothing better than to turn back the clock and recreate a scenario where the biggest issue of the day is how accurate the TV weatherman is.
Those retirees are no longer the overwhelming majority. That age group now makes up only 39 percent of the population of Bella Vista and some may still need to work.
In any case, surely not all of that 39 percent are in agreement with those original don't-change-a-thing'settlers. ' Running inane editorials does them and many of the rest of us a disservice. Like it, or hate it, now that we are a city, we can expect lots of changes. If nothing else, that should provide endless issues for quality editorials to explore. Stephanie Culp Bella Vista Surprised I was so surprised to read in the paper that fireworks were extended for seven days after the 4 th of July, and legal until midnight. For many years residents of Bella Vista have raked their leaves into gullies, and with the amount of trees we have in the village it would be a disaster if we had a fire. With all the many roads curving and dead ends, if the village filled up with smoke, it would be a disaster with many people unable to find their way out. As for the extension to midnight, how many people are up at midnight from the June 27 till July 11 ? Most are sleeping. It seems our leaders need to pay more attention to the possibility of heavy smoke and what could happen and would they be ready to take the blame if many, especially elderly people, who could not see to get out ? Mrs. Jimmy Moore Bella Vista Patriots: Thank you The Bella Vista Patriots hereby express their congratulations and appreciation to everyone who attended the Bella Vista Patriot 4 th of July Parade. We are grateful to the many individuals, businesses, social clubs, military organizations, civic groups, political figures, athletic teams, entertainers, educational institutions that either marched or gave support to make this year's parade the most successful that we have ever had.
We are especially thankful to World War II, Battle of the Bulge, prisoner-of-war survivor Sgt. First Class Francis "Kelly "Parkinson, for doing such a stellar job as this year's Parade Grand Marshall.
The Patriot's purpose for this year's parade was to honor our past and present military personnel by giving their children a ride in the parade in army hummers. We wonder who enjoyed that the most - the drivers, spectators, parents or the children ?
We must give credit to the hundreds of grandparents and parents who brought their children to honor our troops. Without their presence we would not have set a record for being the most attended and most diverse event in Bella Vista history. We will do our best to make next year's parade even bigger and better. Again, kudos all the way around. Thanks ! Jim Parsons, Chairman Bella Vista Patriots To Someone in Bella Vista Late in the afternoon of June 3 we were returning home on Arkansas 340 east and saw a dog, still alive, that had been hit by a car. Pulling just off the road, we ran to get her out of the path of other cars. I later named her Smokey because her coat was gray and wiry. There were bruises and blood on her head and around her mouth. She trusted me to stroke her as I looked for and found no identification.
Within moments we were surrounded by many concerned people, some directing traffic from where she lay. The lady who's car hit the dog approached, tears streaming down her cheeks. The dog had chased a squirrel into the road in front of her car. These things happen so fast.
Several people called the Animal rescue, which by that time was closed, as were all pet hospitals. A patrolman came to check on the accident. Another person mentioned an emergency pet hospital open in Springdale and kindly offered to take the dog for help.
Whoever you are, if your dear companion did not return home that night, please be comforted in knowing that many people cared and several people, including the lady who couldn't avoid hitting Smokey, took care of all emergency care and final arrangement costs as through Smokey belonged to them. Ann and Durand Young Bella Vista Simple solution doesn't help In the July 2, 2008 issue of The Weekly Vista you printed a letter from Bill Davis suggesting a solution for the Canada Geese issue. Mr. Davis's "simple "solution does nothing to help the situation. It is not humorous or helpful. There are professional organizations, PETA, Wildlife Conservatory, GeesePeace, and etc., that have the expertise to offer suggestions and assistance. Some of these groups have already been contacted and will give their input in the near future. I realize geese do create problems, but killing them is not the answer. Ernest Hodges Bella Vista
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