October 27, 1996
In addition, Sam Bryce, who is responsible for the city's storm-water management program, responded that the city lacks the staff to regularly inspect storm-water facilities. Without regular inspection and maintenance, storm-water systems fail at rate as high as 50 percent within three to five years. Based on these facts, how can it be concluded that these proposed annexations and development will enhance our public health, safety and welfare and will not degrade the environment or increase taxes?
In June, Anne Arundel County Executive John Gary said no major developments would be allowed on traffic-choked Forest Drive. How can the county say "no" and the city say "yes" based on the same facts?
FOR THE RECORD - CORRECTION
Make your voice heard at a public hearing before the City Council beginning at 7 p.m. tomorrow in Annapolis City Hall.
!Barbara D. Samorajczyk
Annapolis
The writer is chairman of the planning and zoning committee of the Annapolis Neck Peninsula Federation.
Judges should not be immune to public scrutiny
In a Sept. 25 letter to the editor in The Sun, George W. Liebmann, an attorney, objected to the proposed change to the Maryland Commission on Judicial Disabilities which will be on the ballot in November.
The proposal, when passed by Maryland voters, will change the make-up of the commission. Instead of four judges, three lawyers and one non-lawyer, the new commission would be have three judges, three lawyers and five non-lawyers. The five non-lawyer members would be chosen to reflect race, gender and geographic diversity. Is Mr. Liebmann afraid of the will of the people? Or is it just non-lawyers he fears?
He also objected to the loss of secrecy for the new commission's hearings. Too long have judges been judged by the good old boys and girls in the legal profession and in secret session at that.
Let's put our judges to a higher standard of public accountability and vote for the new Commission on Judicial Disabilities.
Jim Donnelly
Pasadena
Football fields and marching bands
I believe most families in Severna Park would say they are quite happy with our high school. There is no shortage of academic and extra-curricular challenges for our teen-agers to take on. Any evening or Saturday will find the school bustling with activity. Whether it is football, soccer, It's Academic, the photography club or the band, kids and their parents are participating together in a manner that is constructive for all concerned.
I was therefore particularly saddened by the mean-spirited comments of Pat O'Malley on Oct. 9 concerning the high school band. The school and its grounds are to be shared by all activities to offer all students an opportunity to excel. When one group claims sole possession of an area and does not share with others, the entire school is bound to suffer.
I though the idea was to create an atmosphere that encourages intellectual, physical and emotional growth in our young people. Mr. O'Malley's comments do not seem to reflect those values.
Indeed, creating such a senseless controversy seems counterproductive, and it is truly hard to understand the motivation for such writing. Perhaps Mr. O'Malley may take more care before setting his pen to paper.
Larry Hutto
Severna Park
Wal-Mart in the cities
Your editorial related to another renewal of Howard Street reminded me that The Sun recently carried an article about a small town that got a Wal-Mart to move into a vacant building in its old shopping area, instead of building in the suburbs.
Why doesn't the city try something similar with Howard Street? Having a Wal-Mart and a home improvement superstore in a couple of the old department stores would provide access for inner-city residents to merchandise of the quality and value now available only in the suburbs. It would also be a draw for suburban workers who commute to the city, who might need to pick up some nails or a new skillet at lunchtime, but who now have to wait until they get back to the suburbs to get it (at a reasonable price).
The best architecture in the world won't draw people to a shopping area unless it has something they need to buy.
Anita Heygster
Pasadena
Pub Date: 10/27/96
