e-sound off for the week of December 16, 2010
Your source for community topics and thoughts
Sounding off downtown flooding
“My family and I live in downtown Hartselle and our house has flooded twice in the past year and a half. We have had the mayor out to look as well as other city personnel and nothing has ever been done. We even have a drainage ditch in our front yard and still have these problems. I have spoken to the mayor by phone on numerous occasions and the last time I spoke with him I was told that they were looking at a grant to help downtown drainage but he couldn’t guarantee that it would help us. We love where we live and don’t want to move but it’s looking like we have no other choice. We aren’t listed in a flood zone but have had two floods and two very close calls. When it rains I stay on pins and needles until the rain is over. We try to keep a bag packed in case we ever have to leave due to flooding. Yes, I am well aware that selling our house is the logical answer but in this economy it is hard to sell and with our house flooding twice I’m sure that’s going to make it even harder.”
“I agree with the post about the solution to the water drainage downtown. If you look back for the last couple of years you might notice something. It seems like some of our elected officials are more concerned about the way our city looks in the news instead of looking at ways to repair our city’s infrastructure. The better our city looks on paper, the more grants they can apply for and get to give the city more eye candy. Do we live in a city where our leaders are more worried about the city’s infrastructure or how many awards they can get?”
“Some recent years ago, a very intelligent Hartselle individual approached Hartselle city administration and told them of a way to correct the water drainage problem downtown. It was cost efficient, and could have been completed in a very short timeline. He was completely ignored.
Downtown Hartselle business owners have had two situations this year where they have received extensive damages, or have had a “near miss” due to rainfall and flooding.
At what point is the city willing to tackle this issue?”
Sounding off on alcohol sales
“According to the recent police reports, there have been several individuals arrested for allegedly alcohol related situations. Why is that? Didn’t the Hartselle voters vote down the legalized alcohol sales referendum in order to sanctify the city, and make it a safer community? Seems like their plan has back fired. Saying no to the referendum has done absolutely nothing at all!”
Sounding off on high school
“Over the years, I have had the opportunity to speak with several faculty members of Hartselle’s school system. I have been told of the roaches, spiders, mice, leaky roofs, lack of toiletries, and numerous other situations that the faculty and students endure. What amazes me, is for some reason or another, no news reporting agency will step up and do an investigative story on these conditions.
