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Letters: Move Florida Blueberry Festival to Brooksville park

 
The Florida Blueberry Festival is held on city streets. Is Tom Varn Park a better location?
The Florida Blueberry Festival is held on city streets. Is Tom Varn Park a better location?
Published Jan. 30, 2014

Get Blueberry Festival off Brooksville's streets

Once again the Florida Blueberry Festival is coming to the Hernando County Commission, hat in hand, asking for assistance in blocking off public streets and taxpaying businesses so that it can charge the taxpaying citizens of Hernando County admission to public streets, parks and buildings.

According to county staff, $14,000 of this expense will come from the general fund reserves for contingency and $5,000 from Tourist Development. This does not include the additional assistance of the city of Brooksville, who also provides office and meeting space.

Besides the fact that the city and county have been partners in fleecing the taxpayers of their money, they have violated the rights to public property, freedom of travel and even some businesses from being able to conduct business. And why? There are perfectly good facilities at Tom Varn Park or the fair ground. The park offers more shade, easier walking, etc.

Let the Florida Blueberry Festival use Tom Varn Park and get off our streets. Or make the downtown venue free and open to all.

Dennis Purdy, Brooksville

County should help with animal hoarding problem

For over three years some residents of the High Point community near Weeki Wachee have had to endure an infestation of cats and the unrelenting, unbearable odor emitted from a residence that harbors up to 60 or more cats at a time. Over the same three years, more than 20 cats were trapped and many others taken to shelters by the homeowners association and neighbors. Two pets are allowed per household in High Point and the offending homeowner was allowed to keep two cats with the understanding that no more cats could be collected.

Now, the number has again grown to 25 to 40 cats in the house and many more living under the house, being lured to the property by outside food. The odor is so extreme on warm days some neighbors have evacuated their homes.

We have no legal right to enter the offender's property to remove these cats and the homeowner has refused to cooperate at every level. Why must our residents be put through this aggravation?

Homeowner associations have very little enforcement power and most of that consists of writing letters noting the infractions and requesting the resolution of the offence.

Another tool is the imposition of daily fines. If fines are ignored only liens and legal action remains and as we all know that is a costly and time-consuming process.

It is time local government agencies get involved and bring this situation to a rational and reasonable conclusion because the offender has promised many times (in writing) to remedy the issue only to continue luring and hoarding more cats. Our county government needs to step up and take swift action against pet hoarders for the health and safety of High Point and Hernando County residents.

Jim Woolcock, Brooksville