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Below you'll find recent comments by Gwinnett Forum readers
about issues of the day:
FEEDBACK
1/3: Says
potential race produces sharp contrast
Editor, the Forum:
I read with interest your item concerning David Shafer and Tommy
Hughes running for the State Senate. I could not tell from your
writing whether they are running in the same seat or different ones.
I know both men well. David Shafer was my appointee to the Gwinnett
County Library Board when I represented District 2 as a Gwinnett
County Commissioner. He did an excellent job on the Library Board
and in everything he has done. He is a man of integrity, He would
make an excellent State Senator and I hope he runs and is elected.
I also know Tommy Hughes. He served on the County Commission with
me. If he runs against David Shafer the contest would have a very
sharp contrast.
-- Doug Williamson, Lula
(Editor's Note: Mr. Williamson, formerly lived
in Norcross and was that area's county commissioner.)
12/27: Wants to see
David Shafer in office in Legislature
Editor, the Forum:
I was glad to see your item on David Shafer running for political
office. I have known David for years and respect him greatly. He
has the leadership ability that Gwinnett County needs in the General
Assembly. I am joining the United States Marine Corps and will begin
Officer Candidate School in June. Until I ship out, I have volunteered
to help David full time for the next six months. He is the kind
of person that we need in public office.
-- Daryl Moody, Alpharetta
12/27: Enjoys comment
about Community Foundation
Editor, the Forum:
I enjoyed Sunny Ramsay's article on year-end giving. I've had the
Cody Fund at Gwinnett Community Foundation for several years and
it truly had drawn a lot of interest since it is somewhat a unique
fund. The Gwinnett Community Foundation has done so much for so
many and is such a worthwhile organization. And they have such a
great staff that really cares.
-- Kathy Gestar (used to be Stromberg!!), Lilburn
12/21:Supporter responds
to article about Reps. Linder, Barr
Editor, the Forum:
I have to take issue with your characterization of the Congressional
campaign in the new 7th District. Your column of Dec. 14 was misleading
at best and downright erroneous at worst. I believe your readers
deserve to have an accurate portrayal of the current campaign.
First, Congressman Linder is devoting as much energy and enthusiasm
to this campaign as Bob Barr is. While Barr is spending the bulk
of his time getting to know folks in the 82 percent of the new district
he has never represented, including Gwinnett, Linder has been spending
a great deal of time meeting folks in Cherokee, Forsyth, Paulding
and Bartow Counties. Linder has held town hall meetings in these
areas, gotten to know business and community leaders, and joined
in festivities and parades. While he will obviously be spending
a lot of time on the campaign trail in Gwinnett, it only makes sense
for him to meet all those who don't know him as well as those in
Gwinnett do.
Secondly, your information about Linder's website was not correct.
On his official website, www.house.gov/linder, the Congressman has
posted no fewer than 37 news items since Sept. 12, including items
on obtaining federal funds for Gwinnett's transit system and a Gwinnett
neighborhood, notices regarding speaking engagements in Gwinnett,
and meetings he held in Washington that included Gwinnett constituents.
The Linder campaign website, www.votelinder.org, includes no fewer
than 13 news items since Oct. 23, including releases about the 10
Gwinnett legislators and six Gwinnett mayors who endorsed his re-election
bid and his appearance in the Old Town Lilburn Christmas Parade.
In any case, no rational person could believe that because Linder
is not issuing a press release every time he holds a meeting in
Gwinnett that he is not campaigning there.
Unlike some, Linder does not crave the media spotlight.
Additionally, allow me to answer your query "while Linder tells
people that he's leading in the polls, you wonder who is doing his
poll." Zogby International, that's who. The Zogby firm is arguably
the most respected polling organization in the nation, as it was
the only national polling firm to catch the movement of the popular
vote toward Al Gore in last year's presidential election, and Zogby's
final 1996 presidential poll was more accurate than any other major
media poll.
Zogby's 7th District poll shows Linder not only with a significant
lead in Gwinnett, but a 13-point lead overall in the new district.
Finally, I would like to address an error in your "Special
Report" regarding the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
(CDC) funding bill that Congressman Linder introduced. You report
that as of Thursday, Dec. 13, Mr. Barr had not been added as a co-sponsor
of the bill. This is false. Mr. Barr was added to the bill on Tuesday,
Dec. 11.
Thank you for this opportunity to respond to the inaccuracies of
your recent column.
-- B. J. VanGundy, Norcross
Dear BJ: Thanks for your feedback. Those Web sites had not been
updated when I saw them.--eeb
12/18: Barr and Linder
waging battle in Forsyth County, too
Editor, the Forum:
Per your online comments on Barr and Linder, thought you would
like to know
they are fighting the same kind of battle in Forsyth County - the
difference being neither of them now represents any of the county.
They've both been here multiple times over last four months, everything
from visiting the City
Fair to showing up at the Chamber legislative breakfast. Forsyth
County News has gotten lots of press releases from both, though
neither now represent the county.
With 100,000 folks in Forsyth and no current allegiances to either,
we should be a major player in the district. The election should
be interesting, especially if a more moderate Republican with some
name recognition crowds the field.
-- Norman Baggs, Sugar Hill
12/14: Worries about
infringing on rights and grandmothers being searched
Editor, the Forum:
I appreciated your thoughts on Ashcroft and the current Administration
who seem to be heading toward infringing on our personal freedoms
instead of the freedom of foreign terrorists in our midst.
Just look at the fiasco now going on at airport security! Frisking
little old grandmothers, and using uniformed soldiers of the US
Army, etc. What's wrong with "profiling" middle eastern
men between the ages of 23 and 40. We don't need more laws or presidential
orders to allow us to be "politically correct! Just do it!
All this extension of government control kind of reminds you of
an extension of the "war on drugs" doesn't it?
- - E. F. Stuart, Norcross
12/11: Gwinnett needs
to be more than collection of cities
without a central, breathing core
Editor, the Forum:
Thanks for the valuable and insightful information in Carol Hassell's
comments regarding what is at the heart of a community. In addition,
the contiguous piece about St. Mary's provided a tour of what beats
at the heart of a community.
Gwinnett County is still forming through its various growth stages.
With continued passion, commitment and thoughtful planning of civic
leaders and involved citizenry alike, one of the evolving stages
will hopefully include a central outdoor meeting and activities
location (perhaps near the planned amphitheater/areaa) somewhere
in the county that has the appeal and features to bring together
and attract all Gwinnettians.
What we would not want to happen is to have Gwinnett County become
nothing more than a collection of cities, towns and neighborhoods
and unincorporated areas without a central and life-breathing core.
In my years in government, I have seen counties like Contra Costa
in Northern California develop along the same lines as Gwinnett
with a visionary, Ken Hoffman, very much like Wayne Mason in many
respects.
However, the various government officials and citizenry lost sight
of the true importance of maintaining an identity with the developing
cities, neighborhoods and incorporated areas. To date, Contra Costa
County is spending a significant amount of money attempting to reestablish
a living connection with their people. Just a thought...
- - Tony Arakawa, Berkeley Lake
12/7: Feels Duke work
was forerunner of smart growth
Editor, the Forum:
Good to see an article written about the great Paul Duke! I don't
use the term "great" lightly as I know of Mr. Duke and
his vision intimately, as my father, Jerry Van Gundy, worked for
Mr. Duke as his VP of Finance and the Director of Development for
much of the 70's and 80's.
In a time when the term "smart-growth" is being used,
and billboards and dense housing are springing up everywhere in
Gwinnett, the county would do well to have more developers like
Mr. Duke in Gwinnett. He and my father set down covenants for the
Peachtree Corners area that limited the height of signs and limited
the removal of trees, among other things. Their other developments
in Peachtree Corners, such as Crossings Center and The Deerings,
stand as testament to what environment and community friendly development
should be.
I have been a resident of the Peachtree Corners area for most of
the last 30 years and have seen many changes. Most of them bad.
When the tree that was brought from East Asia and planted at the
corner of Peachtree Parkway and Holcomb Bridge in a planter that
had the statement "Peachtree Corners - A Landmark for Gwinnett
County" was removed in order to facilitate the development
of that corner for a Target, bank, grocery, etc., it was a sad day.
Sure those stores are convenient, but as could be expected, more
and more development occurred at a greater rate than the population
growth and now we have undesirables in the neighborhood such as
a pornography store. I still live in Peachtree Corners. My father
recently moved from Peachtree Corners to South Forsyth County, a
county that he says reminds him of what Peachtree Corners was. The
disappointment will come for Forsyth in the future.
Hoorah for Paul Duke and my father. The current development crowd
in Gwinnett would do well to emulate these brilliant men.
- - B.J. VanGundy, Norcross
12/4: Will AirTran
be accountable when there are delays?
Editor, the Forum:
AirTran's decision to file suit against the man accused of the
recent security breach at Hartsfield International Airport poses
an interesting question to me. If passengers can be held financially
accountable for the delays they cause airline companies, will the
reverse be true?
Will AirTran now hold itself financially accountable when mechanical
problems, overbookings or other delays cost passengers money for
lost billable hours, missed business meetings, etc.? Here's not
to suggest that anyone responsible for a security violation escape
accountability for his or her actions, but surely what is good for
the goose is good for the gander.
-- John Varner, Atlanta
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Forum for future publication.
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