We've started work on a new county park in Weaversville, but can we maintain the ones we have? If Nazareth resident Dale Hughes is asked that question, the answer is a resounding NO. Here's part of an email he sent me yesterday."I need some information about the inner workings of Northampton County's Public Works Dept., and you are the only one I could think of with knowledge of what actually goes on in such a Dept.
"This is my issue: I'm a 59 year old Nazareth taxpayer who's played tennis for recreation and exercise for about 30 years, all on public courts. I know about a thousand other people like me who do the same. The only courts that the County has are located at Louise Moore Park, a park located on donated land. These courts have been left to deteriorate every year since I began playing on them in 1980. The County has only resurfaced them once during that time in a half-assed manner, and now they are pathetic. Huge cracks run across every one, the fences are all rusted, the nets are held up with rope. The employee I talked to last year said money had been allocated to fix the courts, but it had been used for something else. This Gordon Heller guy won't return my calls.
"I need to find out how money was allocated to this Park over the years and how it was spent. Some people may think tennis is unimportant, but over the last 10 years, it has been the number one sport in growth. And, I am tired of paying taxes for every possible BS cause in this county except adult recreation. We keep spending money on jails, courts and rehabs with no end in sight. There's hundreds of adults who use this park, and we want it to be the first class facility it was at the beginning. And, if it takes a few hundred pissed off old guys in shorts showing up to disrupt a Council Meeting, well, that can be accomplished too.
"Any guidance you can offer would be appreciated."
I have forwarded Dale's concerns to Parks Superintendent Gortie Heller, and will post his reply as soon as I get it.
16 comments:
It's altogether appropriate that we ignore current park maintenance issues to build yet another park - then name it after a fiscally irresponsible politician who ignored the courts at Louise Moore for most of his tenure while calling overspending on new council chambers, "nice."
There should be a law against naming anything but sewage plants after paid politicians who contributed no more than we to whatever is being named after them.
Gotta' admit I like that sewage plant idea.
It'd be nice if you could walk your damn dog in that park too.
I like the sewage plant idea too.
I've always been a fan of original names - Veterans Stadium, War Memorial Arena, Mile High, etc. I am not a fan of naming rights.
However, if these things have to be named after someone, then government entities should sell naming rights. And if a politician wants his/her name on it, then pay up. At least we'd get some $$ back on these projects to cover the costs. And politicians don't get taxpayer funded memorials.
The Banker
MM,
I don't mean to be OT but I just heard that the Democratic debate being held in Symphony Hall is costing the public 30.00/person...
And the average person in A-town who may have wanted to see what these candidates stand for are, once again, left standing out in the cold.
- J. BLACK
Mr. Black,
I'm not MM, but the rest of your point is quite valid. The whole thing is ridiculous.
Sorry, BO, my bad...
- J.
Naming sewage plants after paid politicians, another vote for the affirmative!
Sir, call and ask for Ken Mohr. He is the Stoffa buddy who gets a fat contract every year to imitate Gordon Heller. Stoffa made sure the amount was something like $24,999.99 so he would not have to report it to County Council if it was $25,000 or higher.
Make this guy do something for your tax money other than be a Stoffa charity case.
I was out at LMP the other day and there were 5 kids riding scooters on the courts while their Moms watched. I had to run down the golfcart police to try to get the kids off the courts. As the courts deteriorate, people loose respect for them. And, nobody will fight for them. Our generation is one of inaction and complacency.
How can anyone play tennis in an outfit like that?
Bernie,
How many parks does the County have? Do you know?
The couny has seven parks, In addition, there are two proposed parks and a 10th is under construction.
let the children play
Old people need to play too.Fix the tennis courts that were neglected for a long time with the money that was allocted for them.
I talked to Mr. Heller the other day. He says he has enough money to redo some of the courts in the Fall, as they have reached their usable end. There are new overlay systems available that can use cracked courts as a base for a new, cushioned surface even better than the original, and cheaper than tearing up the old ones. These new type of overlays provide much more cushioning than normal courts and help prevent injuries. If Mr Heller can pull this off correctly, these would be the first public courts in the area using this system, and he would become a legend among tennis players, as we all know who does what for this sport. I could see LM courts eventually being named Heller courts, a first for a non-politician. I hope he does this right because you can't go back once committed.
Dale Hughes
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