HOARD RESPONDS

Rarely do I respond to public criticism. However, it appears that the Flagpole is going to publish a weekly "Letter to the Editor" filled with innuendo and false statements from individuals who describe themselves as affiliated with the Green Party; and I would like to set the record straight.

Throughout the 2002 campaign, and now long after the election, individuals who suggest they are Green Party members spent a good deal of time engaging in letter writing, email correspondence and verbal dialogue completely misrepresenting my views on issues affecting our community as well as my past record as an elected public servant.

I very much appreciate your editorial staff repeatedly correcting misstatements made in correspondence to you and printed in the Flagpole.

I can only surmise that the authors of these letters - none of whom has ever engaged me in a conversation - either never bothered to review the minutes of the City Council meetings in which I participated as an elected official nor the questionnaires to which I responded as a candidate for elected office in 2002 - or they are purposely deceitful. Either scenario is certainly unflattering to themselves and their party.

For some reason, the letter writers want to announce to the world that my husband is employed by Athens Country Club, as if it were news. At every public outing during the recent campaign, when providing family background, I stated, "I am married to Ed Hoard, who is Director of Golf at Athens Country Club." My husband has been employed as a professional by Athens Country Club for more than twenty years. There are many members of this organization who I respect and admire, and I count many friends among its membership. For some apparently misguided reason, individuals writing your publication want to vilify not only members of the club but my family's association with it as well.

During my three terms as a member of the Athens City Council, during the 2002 campaign, and now as a member of the County Commission, there have been occasions when club members who live in the District I represent have contacted me expressing concern or disappointment with a stand I made on an issue or vote I cast. However, at no time has any member written venomous, personal letters - filled with misstatements and name calling - to any publication or, to my knowledge, misrepresented me in any manner.

Anyone in public office should be open to criticism for his stance or vote on any issue in the public arena. However, no individual should be required to sit quietly while others purposely malign and impugn his integrity. I ran an HONEST campaign with no negative rhetoric on my part in a political contest with two other candidates, including a Green Party member, and received 58 percent of the vote. To your negative letter writers, I would like to say, "Move forward and do something positive with your time." I am not perfect, but I am an honorable person who checks the facts before speaking and will not misrepresent others for either real or misguided gain, which certainly cannot be said of my detractors in the "Letters to the Editor" section of your publication.

Kathy Hoard
ACC District 7 Commissioner

STARRATT CORRECTS

My apologies for misquoting Kathy Hoard in my letter of February 26. Not having the quote in front of me I chose to paraphrase and should have indicated as such. My bad. Mea culpa. A professor long ago warned me that I would one day rue having slept through most of his J-101 classes.

Nonetheless, I stand by my criticism of Hoard and Lynn and the other commissioners who voted for the Barnett Shoals Rd. widening project. Just ask the good folks of the highly populated Green Acres subdivision who have to drive a 4000 lb. automobile to buy a 1 lb. loaf of bread at Kroger a mere 200 yards away because it is unsafe to walk or bike across Barnett Shoals Rd.

Ken Starratt
Athens

LANDLORDS.1

It is obvious the Flagpole thinks a move to create fees and miles of red tape for ALL landlords is a great idea. I'm not surprised. I think your slanted article ["Landlords Lash Out Against Potential Regulation," Mar. 5] was a bit short-sighted. If I'm not mistaken, last year affordable housing was a major Flagpole issue??? What happened? Surely you will admit charging landlords fees just to be landlords will raise rent?! $112 a year to begin. That's $12 a month for every one of my tenants. Sure NONE of my houses are in violation, NONE of my neighbors have trouble finding me if/when there is a problem, but the Heidi/Flagpole show doesn't see "the individual." It lumps us all together. Yes, let's create a whole new branch of government. $514,000 a year. Who pays that? Oh yeah, the landlords write the checks, but it's THE TENANTS' money. Rent WILL go up.

Bottom line is very simple. We (landlords and especially tenants) don't need more government, we don't need the new fees and taxes which will result from the proposal. Enforce the rules and regulations... duh. It is so frustrating to hear people say "we (landlords) are afraid of the regulations being enforced." What? You mean we've been paying someone to enforce regulations that they haven't [been enforcing]? Absurd. Typical.

If a neighbor of a rental house has a problem, complain. We currently have a system to handle this situation right? So who is not doing their job?? Why will all of Athens renters pay more because the government is not doing its job NOW? Who will argue that?? Say no to higher rent, say yes to punishing "landlords who violate the rules."

Martin Brummeler
Athens

LANDLORDS.2

I attended the public meeting held on March 3 concerning the proposed RS-Zone Rental Permit Program. The printed agenda distributed before the meeting showed that the ACC staff would provide introductory and background information followed by public input. Before all the ACC staff members could finish their statements, a member of the audience interrupted loudly yelling a question at the Interim County Attorney while she was speaking. Even after the moderator explained that questions would be accepted after the staff had completed their prepared statements, this person continued his shouting.

Unfortunately, rude and disruptive behavior by the majority of the audience continued throughout the meeting. The remarks of the people who spoke against the rental permit program were applauded and cheered. Those who spoke in support of the program were booed and jeered. This juvenile behavior during a public meeting of citizens gathered to comment on a proposed program being considered by their government is inexcusable.

Those who acted in this disrespectful manner owe an apology to the ACC staff members at the meeting and to the other members of the public in attendance. This type of intimidating behavior is not acceptable in such a forum.

Susan C. Field
Athens

LANDLORDS.3

First, in the interest of full disclosure I am a landlord and a contributor to the Athens Residential and Rental Property Association. That out of the way let me say that I think most people who read the "RS-ZONE RENTAL PERMIT PROGRAM DRAFT PROGRAM ORDINANCE OUTLINE," and contemplate the implications of what lies within, will find it is not in keeping with the spirit which makes Athens so appealing to so many.

One of its requirements, as proposed, is that various affidavits and paperwork be "kept at the rental property and available upon demand to enforcement personal at all times." I know that Bush has made erosion of civil liberties all the rage, but I'm not ready to live in a place where Police can show up and demand to see my papers because I belong to a certain class. Despite my wish to, I will not at this time attempt to rebut the rest of the proposed regulations, because I'm sure space will not allow. I know the policy of "compliance by education" is a joke and support a policy change. However, I cannot support selecting any particular group for special enforcement, which is what will happen if these regulations pass as written. Hopefully the Flagpole will publish the enclosed copy of the proposed regulations which I received at the March 3rd meeting [Editor's note: the proposed regulations are available on-line at athensclarkecounty.com].

You'll have to forgive some of the flyers. People are upset. Possibly, you would be as well if you had seen the proposed timeline for implementation of these regulations or been at the March 3rd meeting. The City Attorney described the regulations in terms of what "will" happen only to qualify at the end that by "will" she meant "if." I'm suspicious. Is this the open government I voted for? Don't worry, I'm sure the house sitters will get their "...possible exemption..."

Dorian Zevos
Athens

GARDEN SPRINGS

Do you remember Garden Springs Mobile Home Park on North Avenue? Do you remember the 100 low-income working families who lived there? Some had lived there for 30 years, others were recent immigrants, but they were a community. Many had bought their old trailers, their piece of the "American Dream."

Do you remember that the land they rented was sold, and the new owner originally gave the residents only one month to move out? Remember that most of the trailers were too old to move, and that it cost thousands of dollars to move those that could be moved. Remember that no compensation was offered to these homeowners for the loss of their homes, or the cost of moving.

Do you remember how students and faculty and staff from the University joined with so many other community members, churches, civic organizations, county offices, and wonderfully generous businesses to help these 100 families find other places to live? Do you remember that Clarke County public housing had a waiting list? Could you find a place for a family of six to live for less than $200 per month?

The average cost for relocating each family was over $10,000. Paid for with donations of cash, services, and building materials. Paid for with the blood, sweat, and tears of Garden Springs residents and the hundreds of volunteers who worked for days, and weeks, stretching the impossible month to a barely possible six.

Do you remember why this North Avenue community was displaced? College students, when you plan your lodging for the next school year, REMEMBER GARDEN SPRINGS!

Sandra Whitney
Covenant Presbyterian Church