Voices From The Readers

Voices From The Readers
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One Take On Fire Company Compromise

Editor:

I totally agree with the editorial “Compromise Is A Reasonable Solution” to the volunteer fire problem in Ocean City.

The actual compromise:

1. Chief Chris Larmore withdraws his name from application for Fire Chief.

2. The President of Town Council, Joe Mitrecic, resigns from City Council. Reason: Joe Mitrecic wrote a document and expressed his feelings at a council meeting that the chief must owe total allegiance to only City Council, so he must resign from chief of the volunteers, otherwise he would owe some trust to the volunteers.

No matter how often he said it, it all comes down to:  "It’s a matter of trust.”

And neither Mitrecic nor Rick Meehan nor Nancy Howard nor Mary Knight nor Lloyd Martin have sufficient trust in Larmore.

 I commend Council persons Jim Hall, Margaret Pillas and James Hancock for their openness and honesty in dealing with this issue.

Mr. Hall was correct when he said that the council should appoint Chris Larmore permanent chief of the fire service now, at that meeting because there is no need to do an expensive worldwide search to find a chief. I find it impossible to believe that, out of Ocean City’s more than 100 firefighters, not one single person is qualified to be the chief. That sounds like a monumental insult or a really incompetent department.

If the council hires a person from outside of the department for chief, then that chief will owe his total loyalty to the council who hired him and not to the firefighters. Ah-hah.

The newspaper should support Pillas, who seems to kept in the dark by the

other members of the council. The newspaper should demand that she be given the documents in a timely manner and included in any private council discussions. She appeared to be the only councilperson who was not aware of the president’s memo and idea until the actual meeting.

J.T. Walsh

Ocean City

People’s Voice Often Unheard In State

Editor:

I love Democracy. A government of the people, by the people and for the people. However, that isn’t the case here in Maryland. In Maryland, the people’s voice means nothing to those in power. You see, in Maryland, if the chairman of a committee doesn’t like a bill that comes across his desk, he just simply ignores it long enough that it dies at the end of the session.

Case in point. On July 17, 2007, House Bill 2 – Revision to the MD CCW law, was filed. On Jan. 22, 2008, the House Judiciary Committee held a hearing concerning the bill. Over 200 Maryland residents showed up in favor of the bill. Hundreds of others emailed, wrote letters and called the committee members showing favor for the bill. There was not one person at the hearing who showed up to oppose the bill. People of Maryland want to be able to protect themselves and their families by whatever means they are comfortable with, even if that means carrying a concealed weapon. You would think that with this much support, the chairman would at least allow the bill to be voted on. Well, that’s not the case.

One person, Delegate Joseph F. Vallario, Jr., chair of the House Judiciary Committee, is stopping this bill from being voted on. For the past three years, this bill has been introduced and each time more and more Maryland residents show up in support for it; however, each time Delegate Vallario denies it a vote.

It would be funny, if it weren’t so sad, that in a Democracy, one person can dictate what can and can’t be voted on. Amazing. What is the chairman afraid of? Is he afraid that a bill that "he" is biased against might pass? I say we all demand that the bill be released for a vote and let the "whole" House decide. Otherwise, let us rise up and demand that it be placed on the ballot and allow the people of Maryland to decide.

David Hawkins

Beltsville, Md.