The Newscaster/Nature Coast News
PAGE 11 - May 20, 2009
Editorial - Opinion - Commentary
Editorial
Yankeetown Mayor’s Report
A Guest Commentary by Dawn Clary
Letter to the Editor:
Kind Words - The Federal Emergency Management Administration congratulated
Re: Area Stimulus Grants
Yankeetown for our outstanding performance in the Community Rating System which is a
Area residents have often been overlooked when grants from Washington D.C. have
flood insurance program designed to reduce loses during flooding events. FEMA also sent
been awarded to Florida. Two grant programs that bypassed local residents are the "My Safe
us a nice plaque and said "As a token of our appreciation for your community's efforts to
Florida Home" and the "Wind Debris Safety Program"(we were excluded by state law in the
reduce loss of lives and mitigate property damage caused by flooding and by developing
Wind Debris program).
activities that go above and beyond the minimum standards of the NFIP, we are pleased to
A reason given by local and state legislators for the failure to include area citizens as
present to you, this plaque...". The CRS program has been a major effort on the part of Zoning
funding beneficiaries has been that they have not received complaints from the citizens. But
Officer Chris Fineout and this plaque and the kind words are a tribute to his hard work. Kind
citizens often don't know about the availability of funds until the money has been exhausted.
words are hard to come by especially in the world of zoning.
Residents can learn about these grants by talking with local legislators or by checking
Parks Problem - One of the sad things about being in public office is that when
the internet.
government does do something nice for people, some people ruin it. I would like to remind
The White House has invested enormous amounts of our tax dollars to help pull Wall
everyone that the Yankeetown Park known as the Yacht Basin, almost across from the Coast
Street (New York's financial district) out of debt - specifically Lehman Brothers, AIG and
Guard station, requires that children be supervised. It is not permissible to allow your children
CitiBank. This debt was caused by the greed of the upper-class officers of these companies.
to be at the park unattended. Loud music and profanity is PROHIBITED. We will be looking
The car manufacturing companies also needed helpfor the same reason - greed. But, no one
at stronger measures to assure that the park is a good neighbor. Also it is not a very flattering
was helping "Main Street" (the middle class).
testament to locals when the park is strewn with trash after a weekend. Please use the trash
The people like you and me - we'll call us "Country Road" - said, "We need help too; we
receptacles and act like we have some pride in our park. Everyone's cooperation in this would
are losing our homes and jobs..." So the President invested money with the mayors and
be very helpful.
governors, who are mandated to see that we get the help we need. Not all communities have
Fires - Mother Nature started as many as seven fires over the last week due to
mayors, therefore, the recovery/stimulus funds sent to our little "Main Streets" and "Country
lightning strikes and although there was also rain it was insufficient to put them out. The
Roads" went to our governor, and we trust that our county commissioners and administra-
largest fire initially involved approximately 75 acres of inaccessible swamp area near the
tors, who serve communities outside the city limits, are looking after our interests.
northwest corner of Yankeetown on the Waccasassa Game Preserve. It was moving in a south
There are two ways to learn how much Florida will receive from the Stimulus and what it
east direction threatening property north of CR 40A. Yankeetown Fire Department along with
is for, so you can tell your commissioners your needs:
Forestry, Inglis Fire, the State Parks Division, the Dept of Fish and Wildlife could only watch
(1) If you have a computer, go ONLINE and type in www.FlaRecovery.gov in the address
from a distance due to an inability to reach the fire. Spotter planes were used to monitor the
bar. When the home page comes up, (on the small menu bar under the title) click on ABOUT
fire's status. While special equipment was brought in such as a Marsh Master which is a kind
and it will release a box that says State and Local. On State and Local, scroll down to any
of air boat on tracks, they were never deployed. As of this writing there have been no build-
category, and place the pointing finger on any title, and read everything about it. Every
ings involved and the situation is under control.
picture on the website represents a program. When the pointing finger tells you to click, click
The Last Monday of May - Town hall will be closed on Memorial Day. Memorial Day
twice. At the bottom of the first window, you'll find the date that each program begins. If you
was first enacted to honor the Union soldiers of the American Civil War and was later changed
do not have a computer, you can use one at the public library. But you don't have much time.
after World War I to include American casualties of any war. The original order of 1868
It's a chart called "TIMELINE: FLORIDA'S STIMULUS MILESTONES," with many dates
beautifully reads "designated for the purpose of strewing with flowers or otherwise decorat-
through Feb., 2011. Use the wheel on your mouse to make the chart move from left to right.
ing the graves of comrades who died in defense of their country..." Good Night and Good
(2) You can also call the Governor's Office at (850) 488-4441, and speak to Janice Brown-
Luck, Dawn Marie Clary, Mayor of Yankeetown
ing, to find out what office is running various programs. Contact that office and ask them to
Dealing With “Postal Stress”
send you an application. If legislators do not hear from you, they will assume you are not
needy. Remember, it's YOUR tax money. GOOD LUCK! Marco Wilson, Inverness
Guest Commentary by Sally Price
job. When goals were met, the mark was
moved higher. Deadlines were almost impos-
Being a retired postmaster from a
sible to meet. Everything was measured in
small post office, last week's article about mail
numbers established by higher ups, includ-
being retrieved from a yard in Peaceful Acres,
ing mail, electricity usage, hours, gas and sup-
the residence of a contract carrier from the
plies. You name it, we measured it, counted it
Restaurant
Bronson Post Office, brought back memories
or tracked it. If you worked hard and saved
of how stressful working for the U S Postal
The Best Mexican Cuisine South of the Border!
hours, next budget year, you lost them.
Service was, not just for me but for many
Crystal Terrace
Terrace
Lots
Post
Cr
Shopping Center • N.E. of Big Lots & Post Office
Each job had it's own set of frustra-
postal service workers I was in contact with.
445 N.E. 1st Terrace • Crystal River, Florida
tions. Goals met, lower down, meant larger
Vivian Allen hired me at the Inglis Post Office
bonuses, the higher up in the chain you were.
HOURS:
when I was 17 years old. The post office was
The person over you was always trying to
Monday-Thursday
located in her husband's real estate building,
get more with less because they had to an-
11 am - 2 pm & 5 - 9 pm
near the entrance to Palm Point subdivision. I
Friday
swer to someone above them. I saw person-
volunteered to attend meetings, in place of
11 am - 2 pm & 5 - 10 pm
alities change due to the stress placed on
Ye s ,
Miz Allen, as we called her. I attended her
r
Saturday
ne
Beer We Ha v
Di n
people.
meetings, training sessions, career confer-
Noon - 10 pm
&
e
In career classes I heard many odd
ch  v e d
&W
Sunday
ences and did whatever I could to better my
Lun S e r
ine!
statements being taught, such as "The higher
Noon - 9 pm
chances at advancement. And each year, I
Dine-In or Take-Out - Call 352-795-5251
the cream rises to the top, the more it sours,"
became more and more disenchanted.
and "People are promoted to a level of incom-
During my postal service career, I
petence." These statements did not describe
In the postmaster ranks, postmasters in lower level offices were often regarded
performed almost every job there was and
all the upper management, but many higher
poorly or ignored by postmasters of larger offices. I have seen many instances where employ-
saw the good and the bad. Employees of all
ups should have been in other positions.
ees were driven to bad attitudes by the attitudes of bosses. Dealing with the union was
ranks talked freely to me about their prob-
Meeting (often unrealistic) goals was a prior-
another story... I chose to stay in the smaller offices because I was a humane manager.
lems and frustrations. There was never an
ity.
(To be continued next week.)
even balance, where you just performed your
Shannon Adams,Realtor
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