Opinion
Letters to the editor, July 4
TBO.com
Published: July 4, 2012
Outstanding jobPublished: July 4, 2012
My husband and I just moved to Florida from Northern Virginia, and I would like to say how impressed I am with New Port Richey Code Enforcement Officer Liz Nichols.
We have had three residents move out of houses directly behind us and their yards became extremely unkempt, with grass as high as three feet. Each time I called Liz to find out what could be done, she responded immediately, within 24 hours, calling the appropriate parties and having the problems fixed.
It is amazing that the Code Enforcement Office has only one employee to cover the entire city. It is even more amazing that it is being done in a timely and highly efficient manner, by one woman, especially after the recent tropical storm.
My hat is off to Liz, and I sincerely hope that the city of New Port Richey realizes what an outstanding employee they have.
Ann Hendrickson
New Port Richey
Lives saved
During Tropical Storm Debby and afterward, Pasco County's emergency management services team did an extraordinary job protecting people and their homes in West Pasco. The Pasco Sheriff's Office, the Florida Highway Patrol and various municipal police departments all banded together to make sure the roads and neighborhoods impacted by the storm and its subsequent flooding were safe. The dedication of these professionals was impressive, to say the least.
I had the opportunity to visit the regional hurricane shelter in Hudson during the tail end of the storm and was moved by the people staffing the shelter and those who evacuated to it. Both the positive attitude of the shelter staff and the courage of the evacuees waiting to find out if their homes were still standing were incredible. It was encouraging to me to see that the shelter was successful in doing what it was built for: keeping people safe and secure during the often frightening challenges tropical storm systems can cause.
To all who served and volunteered to help their fellow community members stay safe during Tropical Storm Debby and its aftermath, I say thank you. Your good work saved lives and helped make this difficult time a little easier to bear.
State Sen. Mike Fasano
New Port Richey