Letters to the Editor
From our weekly issue dated January 7, 2009
(Editor’s Note: Views and commentary, including statements made as fact, are strictly those of the letter-writers.)
Typed, double-spaced letters are considered for publication. Hand-written letters that are double-spaced and legible also can be considered. “Thank you” submissions are not accepted as letters.
Funding services
From Roy Lindsay
Grants Pass
Josephine County covers 1,624 square miles of mostly rural and sparsely populated areas.
Grants Pass, the most densely populated part of the county, covers only about 11 square miles with its separately funded police services. The sheriff’s office currently covers the rest with just 14 patrol deputies, enough to provide only 12 hours of patrol per day.
Even during these limited hours of operation, there are frequently no more than two deputies on patrol, and life-saving backup may be more than 40 minutes away.
Of the 78 total employees in the sheriff’s office (as of December 2008), approximately half work to operate the county jail, which is the only jail in the county. Eight years ago, when the county’s population was significantly smaller, the sheriff’s office had 28 patrol deputies and 121 total employees providing the same services.
The sheriff has requested that the commissioners authorize an additional 17 deputies to allow expanding rural patrol to 20 hours per day. This expansion would also increase demand for county district attorney and juvenile justice services and resources.
The federal bailout funds that currently pay for the bulk of Josephine County’s non-road related services will be reduced each remaining year, and will not be sufficient to cover even the current minimal service level in the third year. Any hope of a successful transition to the post-O&C period depends on immediate action by the Josephine County Board of County Commissioners to develop and implement alternatives to fund all county services.
Upset mother
From Tia Tibbits
Selma
I am angry that this valley has programs for Christmas that mislead a family and break a child’s heart. I spoke with CJ Cares program, and was reassured that Santa would bring my son a present on Christmas morning.
My son was so excited and impatient to see Santa, but as the day progressed, no Santa. I realize that due to snow that it might have been impossible to travel. But I also know that people are a phone call away.
This busted my son’s bubble, and as a parent trying to keep my son believing in the magic and spirit of Christmas, this really put a damper on things.
I phoned CJ Cares Christmas night to ask, and it was again promised that Santa would come the following morning. Again it was a no show. Do these people realize how hard it is for parents to try and explain this mishap to their child or children? I realize there are a lot of children that CJ Cares has to care for, but for the kids that don't have a visit from Santa when expected, the people who promise such a wish for a child, completely make a child wonder if Santa is really true and give a parent no choice in having to break a family tradition.
I will never reach out for help, even though I have low income, and be misled or bring disappointment to my family, by some people who do not realize the effect this has. This program is useless if innocent children are misled and their beliefs changed.
Water precious
From Fran Spellman
Cave Junction
Is the Cave Junction water supply being managed? Not if we leave it up to Jim Polk and the mayor. I pay for city water usage at a cost of $59 a month. I use a third of the allotted amount. I believe we should all conserve our precious water supplies, and I also believe we should be compensated for our efforts.
Why doesn’t Cave Junction pro rate our water bills by usage? Is it an accounting problem? Too much work? Or just poor government management? Why can’t Jim Polk make a decision about returning deposits held more than a year and a half because he has to send it to the mayor for approval?
It’s no wonder we can’t get relief for our conservation efforts. This organization can’t even write a check for $100 for a long overdue return of my deposit. How are we going to manage the water supplies to support the growth in our community with leadership like Polk and the mayor?
Holiday thief
From Sharon Hopper
O’Brien
My father and his partner spent Christmas Eve with us. We had a wonderful day with a good dinner. When they went home to my father’s house Christmas day, they found it had been broken into.
The thieves trashed the house, emptied drawers all over the floors. They stole my deceased mother’s jewelry, rolls of wheat pennies, and a big bottle of VO.
Maybe nobody caught them in the act, but God saw them, and they’ll have to pay to Him. They not only stole from my father, but us, his children. They’ve taken away what my mother passed on to us. At least they’ve saved us the task of dividing her belongings.
What do they think they’re going to do with that big, old video camera? And what about that out-dated car phone? Looks like it should belong in one of those Get Smart shows. And that's what the thieves should do: Get smart and return the things stolen before it’s too late. We forgive them, can they forgive themselves?
KWD engineering
From Chris Courville
Kerby
I moved to Kerby in June 2006 from N. Nevada to provide a safe and corruption-free environment to raise my family.
I have enjoyed every minute I have been here until last month, when I found that I was being taxed and billed by the newly formed Kerby Water District (KWD) that has only one thing in mind: money. Money and how to obtain as much possible for personal interest.
I purchased my property from a couple who purchased it from a board member of KWD. This property had a shallow well in moderate condition that with filtration had enough water to allow the original owner of the property (before our board member purchased the property) to grow a beautiful garden and supply their household, plus an additional cabin on the property, with water.
The person purchased this property; became a member on the KWD board; and then participated in some activities to assist KWD in obtaining its goal. This activity included re-plumbing and routing gray water run-off from the residence to the ground and back into the well. This was done to contaminate the well beyond the level of humane consumption. I believe that major ground water and soil contamination is a violation of state and federal laws. The couple I purchased my property from had a wonderful well drilled on the property. It had an exceptional supply, quantity and quality both, from one of our many great underground rivers.
The couple I purchased the property from also wound up with the cost of removing the contamination from the property generated by the board member. These undisclosed doings caused major budgeting issues for that owner, allowing me to become part of the issue after purchasing the property. Evidence on the property of the clean-up and old sections of original water supply piping that I have held onto, along with additional information gathered from my neighbors, will prove my statements.
I have listened to some of Cave Junction’s city meetings online. One of its major concerns is very much a problem. I am an engineering technician who has had to deal with the aftermath of engineering blunders all over the world, as the one KWD has engineered for its supply.
Among conditions overlooked is negative feed system cavitation. This is created by turning on a pump at the end of a system to boost pressure and having a valve or tap in this case turned on, or opened on the suction side of the pump. Air will be drawn in through the open valve heading to that pump at the velocity speed the pump is drawing water. This will cause air locking of the pump, causing it to stall or temporarily stop pumping.
When this condition occurs the water en route to the pump stops and sends a shock wave back to the original water source. This shock wave is called water hammer. It is not unknown to blow major valve fluid controls and supply piping. As mentioned in one city meeting, the one and only means of preventing this from occurring is to have a supply reservoir placed just ahead of the pump, at the city system end.
The city of Cave Junction, from what I have been reading during the past couple of weeks, has enough problems keeping up with its development growth and supply demands. I can guarantee that KWD and all its residents will never be able to repay the damage cost created by this nightmare, causing major financial shortfall in the city budget.
If city personnel contact me for discussing the issue of KWD engineering, I would like to fight against this system and help save the city of Cave Junction water system from being destroyed.
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