SELL ST. JOSEPH'S

I was shocked and angered by the article in the Flagpole [Sept. 24]. Not only was it biased, it was short on some important details. It focused on emotions but not the realities of the physical plant.

The Church is in a state of disrepair. There is rising damp, an unsafe retaining wall, problems with the roof, the children at the school attend classes in trailers and there is not enough room for play. It will take half a million dollars to make needed repairs. Afterwards we will still be overcrowded. The paper recently highlighted the challenge of our growing Hispanic population.

If we sell the seven-acre church property we can buy 24 acres, build a new church and school. This could be done without a big mortgage. Last year, we double booked the front porch and on another occasion the parking lot. Yes, we had on two separate occasions two groups wanting to meet on the porch and on the parking lot. If you can't get together to talk on the porch because it is reserved, you may consider yourself overcrowded.

I am left with some other thoughts.

Father Larry has been in contact with the parish during the whole process. The members of the parish council are our elected representatives. He has had two town hall type meetings and has also distributed a couple of letters that addressed this issue.

We don't have an obligation to the downtown. We have an obligation to our God and to the future.

David Lynn has no standing in this argument! Let him go back to voting for unsafe streets and wasting the taxpayer's money.

The neighbors of St. Joseph's Catholic Church have no standing. Your neighbors don't tell you when or how to sell your house when your circumstances change and need to relocate.

This is a tiny group of people clinging to the past at the expense of the present and the future. Their arguments do not address the real problems with the structures, just their feelings. These are my friends; I expected better from them.

Terry Stewart

Athens

NOT SMART

In reply to Seth Wenger's 1 October column, I request Mr. Wenger show me a metro area that has adopted smart growth policies and has been able to preserve greenspace, allow for affordable housing and reduce traffic congestion with transit. Looking at U.S. Census, Dept. of Transportation and other un-biased data it is hard to find support for his point of view.

Over the last few years, planners from Portland, OR and Montgomery County, MD have spoken to Athenians. These two areas are poster children for the type of growth regulation Mr. Wenger desires. Portland has been transformed from one of the most affordable places to live in the 1980's to one of the top 10 most unaffordable in recent years. In Montgomery County, the average new home now sells for $488,000. As lower priced homes are scooped up by the middle class, poorer people are squeezed to outlying areas to find affordable places to live. This is already beginning to happen in Athens.

Despite its smart growth policies, Portland is distinguished by having traffic congestion as bad as Atlanta's. It also has the greatest traffic congestion index increase in the entire country, since measurements began in 1982. Montgomery County also suffers from severe traffic congestion.

Athens' population may double in only 40 years. If this increase occurs with either a growth boundary or enough large areas with TDR's, it will mean twice as many cars on the roads unless we build twice as many roads, or we could drive a lot less. This is not likely to happen without increased traffic congestion and longer transit times. With Athens' hot windless summers, we are sure to violate ozone standards more frequently, just like our big brother to the West. Do we want this to happen to Athens?

I admit I am one of very few environmentalists who is taking a contrary stand on smart growth, in particular densification. But we all need to look at unbiased facts and to not rely on rosy pictures of smart growth, such as the recent scientific study by a smart growth advocate suggesting suburbs cause obesity.

Gene Weeks

Madison County

CIVILITY & DECENCY

With all the hoopla and legal battles between local landlords and the new commission/ mayor over rental rights in the past year, I believe there is an oversight made by both parties. As the commission struggles to amend its new laws so not to penalize honest citizens and narrow their target on students and landlords, my question to the community is why can't the University of Georgia hold these problem students liable. It seems to make sense that if students can't uphold themselves as members of society by obeying simple laws like numbers of residents/ household, noise ordinances, and cleanliness to name a few, then it doesn't seem viable that these students should leave Athens with a degree. If the University and City Hall worked together, it seems that they could alleviate many of the problems our city faces with these ordinances. Make a two strikes and you're out system similar to the University's academic policies. If a household or individual is found guilty of a violation, then it should be placed on transcripts just like student judiciary verdicts. If a student has two strikes against them, then they should be academically expelled for a year. It makes sense. If the only thing these "young, future leaders" leave town with is a degree, then I think the University and the town have failed them. Shouldn't we teach these people civility and decency?

Mark Opel

Athens

DRUNKARD, ASSHOLE

"Service Industry" (September 24) is simply put offensive. However, it does afford a chuckle: Todd Bak, drunkard at large and asshole extraordinaire, making fun of those with whom he shares such interests.

Seriously, Flagpole, the irresponsibility with which you print such inflammatory nonsense is appalling.

Mary Bianco

Athens

LOST & FOUND?

Hey if anybody found a stack of CDs on a spindle after the Melted Men/Noisettes show at the Caledonia, can you let me know? They were a present from a friend, and he made them through a lot of trouble with a folder full of info, no questions asked. I just didn't even get a chance to listen to them. Thanks!

The Noisettes

Athens