Letters, 7/8: Help trim waiting list
The June 30 editorial (“Conscience dictates trimming list”) is absolutely correct.
The Legislature has ignored these people since 2001. The special legislative committee studying the issues at the Beatrice State Developmental Center cannot do that without looking at the total developmentally disabled requirement. To do so would perpetuate the lack of activity since 2001.
The $83 million is a lot of money. If $5 million were put against the list today, that is 100 people, more or less. And the list will grow by more than twice that number in the next year! So that is not the answer.
The state has a responsibility to help those who cannot help themselves. The developmentally disabled cannot help themselves and cannot be their own advocates. They are citizens, require help, and we have ignored them for too long. And the problem neither goes away nor solves itself.
The governor, the Legislature and we taxpayers must recognize the cost and find the money. That is our duty!
By the way, we have two special needs daughters on the list, so we have more than a casual interest in what the governor and the Legislature do. And we are just beginning to make sure our representatives know the score.
Norma and Jim Bailey, Lincoln
Cause for concern
Working for a newspaper must be a challenge these days, what with flooding on the Mississippi, a bloody election in Zimbabwe and a presidential race heating up. But never fear! Brigitte Dale and Cara Pesek offered readers across southeast Nebraska in their “Catty Girls Advise” column (LJS, July 1) advice as to what sort of hat is stylish while boating.
Not only did they offer sound advice on choice of boating hat, they took this pressing issue a step further by correlating their hat recommendation to the sort of alcoholic beverage consumed by the boater. To the lay reader, these connections are deep and mysterious, so Ms. Pesek offered this crystal-clear example: “These hats (black or white straw) seem very dressy and would look out of place on a motorboat at Branched Oak Lake. Probably if you’ll be drinking can beer out of koozies, you can wear whatever hat you like.”
I’m so relieved to know that, but if I ever had the honor of meeting Ms. Pesek, I’d ask her why she chose to tacitly support illegal behavior. Consuming alcohol is illegal in state recreation areas. Furthermore, boating under the influence is illegal, not to mention deadly. According to the U.S. Coast Guard, one-third of recreational boating fatalities are linked to alcohol.
Eric Mooring, Lincoln
Larsen project explained
This letter is in response to Gary Gilliland’s concerns about a project in Larsen Park (letter, June 24).
In 2005, the Parks and Recreation Department partnered with the Watershed Management Division of Public Works and Utilities to stabilize the banks of a drainage channel in the southern portion of Larsen Park. A comprehensive stormwater management plan for Beal Slough identified the need to replace a failed concrete channel liner. The project was funded by the voter-approved stormwater bond issue, not park funds.
Neighborhood residents were invited to review and comment on plans as they were developed, and modifications were made in response. A natural approach was chosen, and we believe the project is successful in stabilizing the drainage channel from further erosion.
Vegetation has been planted along the length of the project, but it usually takes several years to get a good stand established. We’ve been monitoring the detention pond at the lower end of the project and will do additional planting later this month.
This channel stabilization project is a good example of cooperative efforts between city departments to manage Lincoln’s urban stormwater drainage system.
Gilliland said he believes our department has an “uncontrolled budget.” The fact is that over the past 15 years, the amount of city park land has increased 64 percent, yet the number of employees in our department has dropped.
J.J. Yost, planning and construction manager, Lincoln Parks and Recreation
The Legislature has ignored these people since 2001. The special legislative committee studying the issues at the Beatrice State Developmental Center cannot do that without looking at the total developmentally disabled requirement. To do so would perpetuate the lack of activity since 2001.
The $83 million is a lot of money. If $5 million were put against the list today, that is 100 people, more or less. And the list will grow by more than twice that number in the next year! So that is not the answer.
The state has a responsibility to help those who cannot help themselves. The developmentally disabled cannot help themselves and cannot be their own advocates. They are citizens, require help, and we have ignored them for too long. And the problem neither goes away nor solves itself.
The governor, the Legislature and we taxpayers must recognize the cost and find the money. That is our duty!
By the way, we have two special needs daughters on the list, so we have more than a casual interest in what the governor and the Legislature do. And we are just beginning to make sure our representatives know the score.
Norma and Jim Bailey, Lincoln
Cause for concern
Working for a newspaper must be a challenge these days, what with flooding on the Mississippi, a bloody election in Zimbabwe and a presidential race heating up. But never fear! Brigitte Dale and Cara Pesek offered readers across southeast Nebraska in their “Catty Girls Advise” column (LJS, July 1) advice as to what sort of hat is stylish while boating.
Not only did they offer sound advice on choice of boating hat, they took this pressing issue a step further by correlating their hat recommendation to the sort of alcoholic beverage consumed by the boater. To the lay reader, these connections are deep and mysterious, so Ms. Pesek offered this crystal-clear example: “These hats (black or white straw) seem very dressy and would look out of place on a motorboat at Branched Oak Lake. Probably if you’ll be drinking can beer out of koozies, you can wear whatever hat you like.”
I’m so relieved to know that, but if I ever had the honor of meeting Ms. Pesek, I’d ask her why she chose to tacitly support illegal behavior. Consuming alcohol is illegal in state recreation areas. Furthermore, boating under the influence is illegal, not to mention deadly. According to the U.S. Coast Guard, one-third of recreational boating fatalities are linked to alcohol.
Eric Mooring, Lincoln
Larsen project explained
This letter is in response to Gary Gilliland’s concerns about a project in Larsen Park (letter, June 24).
In 2005, the Parks and Recreation Department partnered with the Watershed Management Division of Public Works and Utilities to stabilize the banks of a drainage channel in the southern portion of Larsen Park. A comprehensive stormwater management plan for Beal Slough identified the need to replace a failed concrete channel liner. The project was funded by the voter-approved stormwater bond issue, not park funds.
Neighborhood residents were invited to review and comment on plans as they were developed, and modifications were made in response. A natural approach was chosen, and we believe the project is successful in stabilizing the drainage channel from further erosion.
Vegetation has been planted along the length of the project, but it usually takes several years to get a good stand established. We’ve been monitoring the detention pond at the lower end of the project and will do additional planting later this month.
This channel stabilization project is a good example of cooperative efforts between city departments to manage Lincoln’s urban stormwater drainage system.
Gilliland said he believes our department has an “uncontrolled budget.” The fact is that over the past 15 years, the amount of city park land has increased 64 percent, yet the number of employees in our department has dropped.
J.J. Yost, planning and construction manager, Lincoln Parks and Recreation
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