Published: November 17, 2008 12:49 pm         

Letters to the Editor 11-16-08

Readers write and e-mail

A lot of time, money spent on project

Dear Editor,

The (Thursday, Nov. 6) Index headline read: “Council votes to extend final buyout offers for eight homes in The Circle.”

The word extend is the part that bothers me most. How long has this charade been going on? It’s been several years and the costs have been tremendous, not only in money, but in the time the council and the city have devoted to this.

If owners still refuse to accept the offers then now and forever it should be their own responsibility for their property. I assume the city will have to pay for the demolition of the properties they buy. Enough already!

As Mayor Allen said, “The council believed their offers were fair for the residents.”

In my opinion they were far above fair. This project has been going on since the early 1990s, costing the city thousands of dollars and countless council hours. These are dollars and hours that could have been spent for the overall good of the city.

Again, quoting Mayor Allen, “It’s been one of my priorities as mayor to get something finalized on this project.”

According to Webster’s, the No. 1 definition for “finalized” means “not to be altered or undone.”

Eighteen years is a lot of time and money spent on one project.

Thanks for your consideration.

Sincerely,

Louise Blackerby, Mineral Wells



Funeral escorts much appreciated

Dear Editor,

Please allow me to express my sincere appreciation and gratitude to each member of our city’s police force, Police Chief Mike McAllister, Mayor Mike Allen, members of Mineral Wells City Council and Mineral Wells City Manager Lance Howerton for providing the funding and allowance of our local police officers to provide escort service for funeral processions through our city from our local funeral homes or churches to city cemeteries or the city limits as those processions make their way to county or state cemeteries.

I have served as pastor in this community for more than six years, being given the honor and privilege of ministering to a number of families who have experienced the loss and death of a loved one.

At the conclusion of each service, as we prepare to depart from the service, a police officer is always staged and ready to lead the procession through town while one or more officers are staged at respective major intersections allowing the procession to move through those intersections safely. Many times, do they not only block off those intersections, but they will most often step out of their patrol unit, and stand facing the procession in an honorable and dignified stance, showing respect for the deceased, the family, and the friends of those in the procession.

I have lived and served as a pastor in several communities in Texas and New Mexico where this service was not permitted or allowed by either the city officials and/or law enforcement agencies. In one particular community, the city actually charged the funeral home for providing escort service, then the Funeral Home simply passed the charge on to the family.

Therefore, thank you Mineral Wells Police Department and Chief Mike McAllister, Mineral Wells City Councilmen, Mayor Mike Allen, and City Manager Lance Howerton for allowing our local police officials to provide this much-appreciated service to the families of Mineral Wells.

In addition, I might also add and make a request of the residents of Mineral Wells and Palo Pinto County, anytime that you see a funeral procession approaching, would you please consider pulling over to the right hand side of the road, coming to a stop and waiting patiently and respectfully until the procession passes? One day, you yourself will be a part of such a procession and you will certainly want the same respect paid to you and your family.

Thank you.

Pastor David J. Wilkins, Immanuel Baptist Church