Your views : Stand on land use will help Barren County

Dear Editor,

We wish to take this opportunity to sincerely and genuinely thank the members of the Barren County Fiscal Court for their bold and decisive action in unanimously making the decision this past Tuesday evening (Oct. 6) to take a stand on land use and development in Barren County. This courageous vote will help to ensure planned and proper development, protect property values, protect our farmers and protect our county from unregulated development.

We know this is a very emotional issue, but to force the citizens of Barren County to decide between the prospects of declining property values, losing our life savings, and peace and tranquility to unregulated development is a decision that no citizen should be forced to make.

Once again, we thank you for your courage and willingness to act. At the same time we ask and encourage you to take the next step to an even broader comprehensive plan(s) that will halt unregulated developments that cause detrimental consequences to all of Barren Counties’ taxpayers.

We are confident that you have the will, the knowledge and the resources to enact such legislation. Properly prepared legislation will prevent similar disasters in the future and still avoid the heavy handed force of government intrusion onto our farms and into our lives. The citizens of Barren County deserve regulations that are balanced, reasonable and fair to all. We thank you.

Cleo C. Hogan Jr.

Robert Soper

Donna Soper

Jeffrey D. Bogue

Sarah Parmley

Brenda Ray and Rodney Pullen

Park City

Thanks to those who helped jail break run

Dear Editor,

On behalf of the entire Glasgow Public Defender’s office, I want to express our deep appreciation for the support we received in putting on the second annual Jail Break 5k Run and Walk on Sept. 12. A big thank you goes out to the following individuals, businesses and firms for donating money and merchandise to make this event possible:

Mike Bush, Steven Bush, Edmonton State Bank, Citizens First Bank, Monticello Banking Company, Barren/Metcalfe Drug Court, Glass Paving and Stone; Richardson, Gardner, Barrickman, and Alexander Attorneys at Law; Thomas and Gardner Law Office, Bell Law Office, Jamison Law Office, Barren County Sheriff’s Office, Creative Events, Christian’s Drywall, Hampton Inn at Franklin, Houchens Markets, Glasgow Ice Company, Electric Plant Board, Davis Fruit Market and the Boys and Girls Club.

Another big thank you to the Glasgow Police Department, Glasgow Fire Department, and Glasgow Street Department for helping with traffic control along the race course.

And last, a big thank you to the participants. It was a great day for a race and we hope you all enjoyed it and will be back next year.

Each year, we donate all proceeds from this event to a local charity. The first year we donated them to the Community Relief fund and this year we were able to give over $1,000 to the Crossroads Pregnancy Support Center.

Again, thank you to everyone in the community for your support.

Greg Berry

Directing Attorney

Glasgow Public Defenders Office

Superintendent made right decision

Dear Editor,

I am writing a letter to respond to Jon Webb’s Sunday edition article, “Extraditing the extra-curricular.” As band director for the Caverna school district, my program, too, was affected by our superintendent’s decision. Last Saturday (9/26) I had to take my marching band to Greensburg to march in the Green County marching band contest. I had six students unable to attend because they were home sick. That’s six out of 29. It was hard to compete with six holes in the band and we took our lumps at the end of the day scoring the lowest scores we have had all season.

I am appreciative that we have a leader such as Dr. Dick who sees the value of human health to be more important than any extra-curricular activity. The students in my band are sick. On Monday, 12 more were absent. We needed a break from each other in order to get well. Dr. Dick’s decision should help everyone sick in the school system to get well.

I am taking issue with Mr. Webb’s assessment of what Dr. Dick should have done versus what he did do. The superintendent expressed himself clearly when he stated, “My decision was based solely on health concerns.” He went on to add that “one is to minimize contact … it doesn’t make sense for kids to congregate in the evening. It seems counterproductive.”

Mr. Webb states that Dr. Dick “refused to pursue the opinions of his coaches and student athletes and his inability to assume coaches could make the decision as to whether a player is healthy enough to practice/play.” How ridiculous that statement is. I came down with the flu at school on Monday. I really did not feel that bad and stayed until 1:30 p.m. I was shocked when I tested positive for the seasonal flu. No one I talked to that day thought that I had the flu. A lot of times, people go to work/school sick, and unintentionally expose others to illnesses. While I agree that it is unfortunate for the football team, band and other extra-curricular activities, I support the decision by Dr. Dick.

Two final points. You can’t compare schools and communities, Mr. Webb. Just because one school (Monroe County) decided to go ahead with games, etc., doesn’t mean that is the right decision for other schools. Lastly, Mr Webb, you need to investigate a little further before you make statements like the last paragraph in your article referring to Dr. Dick’s attendance at games. Webb stated, “But if he (Dick) thinks sports aren’t important to students, coaches and the community, then he should attend more games.” Perhaps it would be better stated that Mr. Webb needs to attend more Caverna games and not only would he see Dr. Dick there but other school administrators and school board members as well. In a small school, we all support each other. Also, ask Dr. Dick what sport he coached when he first came to Caverna. It may surprise you

Thank you, Dr. Dick, for making the decision that better serves our school and communities.

Robbie Fudge,

Caverna Teacher and Band Director

Vendors disappointed about decision

Dear Editor,

I found the letter in Sunday’s paper from the Arts & Crafts Committee a little odd. All of the vendors at the Arts & Crafts Fair that I spoke with were disappointed that they had to set up and vend in the rain. One vendor said she had lost $50 in merchandise ruined by the rain.

I think it is unfair to vendors who spend so much time and money preparing for this event to have to set up in the rain. I’m sure they missed out on a lot of sales because of the weather. It’s also discouraging for those of us who enjoy this yearly event to have to walk around in the rain. We left earlier than intended because of the weather. When you say, “In case of rain, the fair will be at BCHS,” you should stick to your word.

When my daughter and I headed out that morning, we went to the high school. We, along with several others there, were wondering where the fair was.

In the future, I hope the committee will use better judgment and stick to alternative shelter in case of inclement weather.

Not angry, just disappointed,

Micki Bagby

Glasgow

Insurance dominated

by small group

Dear Editor,

When President Obama recently mentioned that one big insurer controlled 96 percent of the market in a just one state, a collective (and very loud) gulp went down the throats of insurance industry executives. You see, this domination of the small group market, where small businesses are forced to buy insurance, drives costs up at an unsustainable rate.

So, the secret is out, but the question is — will the insurers fess up. As the state director of the National Federation of Independent Business/Kentucky, I hear first-hand from small business owners about their ever-increasing costs and lack of choices. But, the proof is in the pudding, or in this case the Government Accountability Office’s research.

According to the GAO (February 2009), 96 percent of Kentucky’s small group health insurance market is controlled by the five large insurers, with Anthem Health Plans of Kentucky writing nearly half of all policies.

Yes, there are 1,300 health insurance providers in the United States, but the vast majority of them aren’t doing business in Kentucky.

Why not? Because state-regulated healthcare for small business has become a virtual monopoly for big insurance. Small business owners and their employees have been crushed under this model, while companies like Anthem and a few others have flourished under it.

We are in new times, however.

Congress is considering reforms that would allow small businesses to shop for health insurance like each of us buys our car insurance and groceries. A transparent exchange would spur badly needed competition, help contain rising costs, increase pool size and keep big insurance honest.

I urge your readers to encourage our members of Congresss to make meaningful market-based healthcare reform a reality.

Tom Underwood,

Kentucky State Director

National Federation of Independent Business

Frankfort