Letters to the editor July 16

Happiness on

Harbor Road?

I returned from Morocco a few weeks ago -- a dusty, dry and African atmosphere -- only to come home to Harbor Road to a repeat of what I left. My black mailbox was covered in dust -- inside and out; my neatly formed Privot hedges and rounded arbor covered in dusty dirt from the road; my perennials, which line the street, struggling to breath.

Our children stood at the corner of Covely and Harbor in the morning covering their faces waiting for the bus and rocks were flying everywhere. After over a dozen calls to police, engineering, public safety and yes, Steve Edwards, I got many "dubious" responses.

I decided to take a big cold container of lemonade to the streets with iced cups -- it was 102 degrees -- to the workers. They respectfully drank it and I got some cones put in front of my house.

A week later, I found out from Edwards that there were signs in storage, they finally put them out to slow traffic.

But then, a miracle happened: the road was dug deeper and we had some pot holes. Cars actually started to slow down; the Fed Ex truck slowed down; the Door-To-Door bus slowed down; all the racers heading to Cedar Point Yacht Club actually looked at the signs and -- we think -- slowed down.

I took it upon myself to start the Lines And Signs initiative. It spells out all the reasons we need to preserve the integrity of our community, as we are the funnel to the island. I called public safety and found out we have not had a full-blown speed test counter and frequency counter out here for a decade. I personally have lived/owned here for 12 years. The counter has been sitting in a room apparently collecting its own dust.

We have 23 names on the petition. Our goal is to get at least 50 to 100. The hope is to get a reduction in the speed, a beatification committee to put flower pots in the middle of key intersections (eg. Duck Pond/Harbor Entry, Covlee/ Harbor Entry and Bermuda/Harbor Entry), increase signs and put walking lines in for pedestrians, children/people with bikes and dog walkers.

Impossible with the budget? Not according to Edwards -- there was a temporary pavement that was suppose to go in. Loosely written it the contract, he stated that "Deering increased the price to $50 a SF vs. the $10 they were suppose to pay" -- why it did not got back out to bid or call Nados or Luciano -- local companies -- for help, we will never know.

But the citizens of Harbor Road are suffering -- we cant barbecue, we have to power-wash our houses and our plants are dying. For our pain and suffering we say -- take the $10 a square foot and put in lines on the road. As engineering said, "Once paved, it will be worse." So lets nip this in the bud now.

As a real estate broker and investor in Westport property, fixing the road to make it safe and promoting our area as a beach community and the path the commuter train will improve the inherent value of our homes and make it a wonderful place to enjoy walking our new babies, walking our dogs, jogging and biking to the train.

To get in touch with me, please call 203-557-3906.

Janet (Bianchini) Tatusko

Westport

Services are top rate

We reside on Newtown Turnpike in Westport, at the site of the massive water main break on July 14. The Westport firefighters, under the direction of Lt. John A. Plofkin, were first on the scene and could not have responded in a more professional manner.

They instantly attended to the rising water in our basement and addressed all our needs in a caring, efficient manner. They stayed for several hours until the problem could be addressed by Aquarion employees, and continually came back to check on their progress.

One of the main reasons we live in this town is because of its services, which continue to be top rate. Thank you, lieutenant and firefighters, for a job superbly done.

Leslie Beatus

Westport

Can't wait to see what Rubin will do for us

One of the finest people I have ever met is running for state representative in the upcoming Republican primary on Aug. 10, and if you'll indulge me for 2 minutes I'd like to tell you why I believe Steve Rubin deserves your vote:

Rubin is the only party-endorsed candidate for state representative in Westport's 136th District.

He has legislative experience dating back to 1993, and as our RTM representative (where he had a 100 percent attendance and voting record) he was fiscally conservative, yet understood well how to balance that with providing the educational experience and facilities that make our community great--and he was a very effective, diplomatic, determined advocate for Westporters in RTM meetings that I observed.

In addition to RTM, he volunteers for everything in town -- my daughter wrote about him as one of the people who truly makes a difference. He has the experience and passion to serve the people that we need in Hartford.

Here's a partial list of his achievements -- hold on to your hat!

RTM committees on education, Parks & Recreation, transit (chairman), public protection and Rules Committee; Police Athletic League (PAL) member of the Board of Trustees, Staples Gridiron Club, recipient of the "Wall of Fame Award" for more than a decade of service and fundraising; American Red Cross, management of the annual golf and tennis tournaments fundraising events; Registrar of Voters, state certificate of recognition for 10 years of service at the polls; Compo Beach Playground, original building and maintenance efforts; Justice of the Peace, multiple terms of service; United States Selective Service, by the pleasure of the president, Fairfield County (District 4) chairman; Westport Sons of Italy voice of Festival Italiano; RESPECT- Recreational Special Education Teams, board member; State of Connecticut Special Olympics; Westport Masonic Lodge; works with Al's Angels, as Santa's friend Frosty helping cheer up sick and abused children; Westport Basketball Association, fundraising and photographer; Westport RTC Certificate of Appreciation -- 1995; State of Connecticut General Assembly, Citation for Recognition of Service to Westport; Westport Police Department, Citizens Police Academy; co-founder of the Westport School Bus Monitor Program for elementary schools.

Whew--I don't know about you but I get exhausted just thinking about it. Oh -- and I don't know how, but he also works full time and is a husband, father and grandfather!

Need I say more? When you take an important step like casting your precious vote, rarely do you have such a valuable opportunity to put a proven leader and contributor into office in Hartford -- I can't wait to see what Steve Rubin will do for us -- please vote for him Aug. 10.

Tom Broadbent

Westport

Let's not lose the magic

Surely I am not the only one who is very disappointed with the decision of the P&Z to ease restrictions on the serving of alcohol in Westport. In essence, this will permit almost any old or new establishment in Westport to obtain a liquor license. With the ever increasing incidents of alcohol abuse and their aftermath's in our society, do we need unlimited availability?

Our downtown area has already been turned into a Rodeo Drive of the East populated predominantly by out of town chain stores which attract predominantly out of town shoppers. There are precious few locally owned stores surviving which, over the years have added to the character to our commercial areas and our town.

If this change is approved, are we on the verge of turning these and perhaps other areas of town into a Mecca of entertainment, indulgence and shopping that primarily attracts those not residing in Westport, and operated by outsiders whose only interest is in financial gain? I sincerely hope that this will not occur. If it does, Westport will lose much of the charm that has drawn and kept residents here over the years. A town of homes supported by locally owned commercial entities that care about Westport and the people who live here is far better for us all than businesses that are solely financially motivated.

Let us not lose more of what has been the magical town of Westport.

Albert S. Beasley, M.D.,

Westport

Editor's note: When typing up the following letter from the hard copy that was provided, a typo was inadvertently created by the editorial staff of the Westport News. Below is the original intention of the author. To reduce the odds of human error, please submit letters electronically to gjeanfaivre@bcnnew.com.

Flags tell sad tales

Some 6,000 American flags were placed in front of the Westport Saugatuck Congregational Church recently.

This Field of Flags represented American soldiers--men and women--killed in Iraq and Afghanistan. Most of them were under 30 years of age. As there is no draft, they joined the military because they believed in serving their country.

They also had not lived the American dream so far in their lives. Media reports indicate that many were poor so they signed up for the pay and benefits.

Some were out of work. Some were members of ethnic groups that often gave them a handicap when they applied for a job. Many were married and had families to feed.

These soldiers were volunteers. It is easy to go on with your own life and not pay too much attention to foreign wars.

If we had a draft, these flags would represent all Americans. If we had not been deceived into going into Iraq, many of these flags would not be here. Some flags represent a growing number of soldiers already killed in Afghanistan.

If the Saugatuck Church does this flag project next year, there will be more flags.

Let's think about that.

Larry Aasen

Westport

Are we facing

tyranny?

C.S. Lewis said, "Of all tyrannies, a tyranny sincerely exercised for the good of its victims may be the most oppressive. It would be better to live under robber barons than under omnipotent moral busybodies. The robber baron's cruelty may sometimes sleep, his cupidity may at some point be satiated; but those who torment us for our own good will torment us without end for they do so with the approval of their own conscience."

Does this sound familiar? Our government has pushed through universal health care and took over our largest private insurance company, all for the good of the People. Our government took control and placed heavy regulations on the banking and financial industries, all for the good of the people.

The government took over two-thirds of the auto industry and bailout of their unions, all for the good of People. Our government is pushing for amnesty for all illegal aliens, all for the good of the people. They are pushing cap and trade (tax on all energy) to protect the environment and for the good of the people.

These are just a few of the things that the Obama administration and his numerous czars are pushing, all of the good of the people. Obama and his cronies see capitalism, free trade, individual responsibility and personal liberty as enemies of the people. They believe government is the solution to all the ills of the people, they see individualism as the cause and collectivism as the cure.

This year you have a choice to make; you can accept tyranny or halt to Obama's socialist agenda.

Ssg. Wynn S. Allen, USA (Ret.)

Fairfield

Shocked and

indignant

It is with personal shock and indignation that I read in both the Wilton Bulletin and the Wilton Villager this week, Mr. Brian Lilly's unfounded and vicious attack on one of our town's most respected and dedicated, long time public servants, state Sen. Toni Boucher.

Boucher has faithfully, and energetically served the people for years. To impugn her character, integrity and patriotism with unfounded and unsubstantiated accusations borders on slander.

If only Mr. Lilly had done a little research on the history of the Gadsden flag, he would have learned that its history goes back to colonial times when our forefathers fought the Revolutionary war, and the rattlesnake , a symbol of American independence, rightly to be flown along with Old Glory on July 4th, Independence Day.

Nowhere did Boucher petition to have the Gadsden flag fly "in place of" Old Glory. Most Americans know that Old Glory is always flown at the peak, with any supplemental flags being flown with it positioned subordinate to it.

Mr. Lilly should have done his homework in order to get his facts in order before making such unsubstantiated, irresponsible and apparently politically motivated personal character attacks.

Frank Dunn

(Veteran-U.S.Army/Korea)

Wilton