Mandate trash pickup; blunder costs Vero Beach area beauty; big Martin decisions approach

Everyone should pay for trash pickup; here's why

Trash and recycling service should be universal.

Laurence Reisman's column mentioned putting his personal trash into a Dumpster at work (which is usually illegal); the company he worked for had to pay for that service. Someone always has to pay.

The people who don't pay let the garbage accumulate in their yards, toss trash into neighbors' bins or simply throw it on the ground. This exacerbates pollution, attracts unwanted pests and makes Vero look nasty.

Everyone poops, and everyone accumulates trash. If you want a cleaner, safer Vero, everyone should pay a fair share.

I understand the constraints of budgeting a pension. Pensioners (65+) are usually the ones who need the service the most, as they usually cannot physically haul things to the dump.

Of course people don't want to pay more. However, if that's what it takes for a cleaner Vero, I am all for it. I would rather pay more than see the streets littered with garbage and compromise the health and welfare of fellow citizens.

It is easy to do nothing or to pass the buck to your neighbors, but the 70% of us that pay for subscription services are already paying more. We pay more when we have to call for an additional pickup because the people who put trash in our bins didn't bag it, have to live next to those who let the garbage pile up in the front of their yards, let those pensioners sit in filth, and we pay more when our children go to park and people have left trash in the city's park bins.

If everyone thought it was OK to just dump their trash on someone else, then Vero would be a very trashy place to live. We should all chip in, 100%.

Cannie Mohr, Vero Beach

Loss of tracking station huge, as oceanfront development runs amok

`What happened to the tracking station behind the 7-Eleven on State Road A1A in Vero Beach? For years it produced marine research, and it was always interesting to visit and observe the fish tanks full of cobia or various other projects.

The peaceful feel of the beach there allowed for a wonderful respite from an increasingly hectic Vero Beach.

Somehow, big money got involved, and now it’s an enormous condominium and housing development. Who got rich on this deal? Not the public.

Once public land is gone to private development, it is gone for good. Are there effective advocates for public parks, or do we just sell out to the big bucks?

Vero Beach is being developed at record rates with huge housing tracts. New construction is not going away, but can we not provide for the necessity of common green space? Is the Vero Beach City Council doing its job?

John D.H. Smith, Vero Beach

Want to limit Martin County growth? Get involved now

If you are like most of us in Martin County, you believe in moderate and sensible growth. But that philosophy does not exist in our local politics. There are only two perceived sides here: the zero-growth side or the unbridled pro-development side. I’m forced to side with the non-growth candidates because the alternative is unreasonable.

There are few local developers here. Most are out-of-state, big-money firms. And with money comes power and influence. Some locals make a living serving developers, a small group of Realtors, contractors, engineers and attorneys who will fight for their right to succeed. Our current commissions also serve this group.

In our county's history, we have never seen so much overdevelopment and inappropriate projects in the most unlikely locations. It has caused an uproar of discontent throughout the community.

Even as rational citizens, only concerned with protecting the foundation of our neighborhoods, we have become adversaries of the industrial development complex. We are criticized, labeled and shamed as if we are harming progress.

Big developers have their eyes on our town and will not give up on the momentum they have achieved. They are forming coalitions that will campaign heavily this season. We cannot compete with this conglomerate's donation coffers and organized efforts. We must win the old-fashioned way.

Good candidates are running for commission seats. They are not career politicians who are savvy in electoral strategies and don’t have the established political machine driving their campaigns. But they have us, the informed voting population of Martin County. We decide which direction we will go in.

It is time to choose sides — a time for grassroots activism. To maintain any resemblance to Martin County’s heritage, we must unite to defend our home, have our voices heard and do more than just show up on Election Day.

Nick Gulotta, Stuart

Thankfully, St. Lucie County School Board saw First Amendment light

I am writing in response to Blake Fontenay's column, "St. Lucie School Board should encourage more, not less, public participation at meetings."

As a resident of St Lucie County, it was shocking to read about the consideration of these new rules for school board meetings. I agree with his stance that they are very unreasonable. By restricting the amount of time a speaker has at these meetings, they are not able to fully convey their responses to the topics at hand. Worse, if they were proposing new ideas, they wouldn't have enough time to give effective presentations and may lose support.

I’m happy to hear that as of recently, the school board has decided not to implement these changes. As mentioned in Colleen Wixon’s article, “St. Lucie School Board balks at cutting public-input time, citing First Amendment rights,” most participants were vehemently against the proposal and stated it was a threat against their First Amendment rights.

I agree with this notion, as these community board meetings are the few chances for concerned parents and citizens to have their voices heard. It would’ve been a terrible move on St. Lucie County’s end to minimize participation from the people who play a key role in our county.

Alyssa Shim-Hue, St. Lucie County, is a student at Florida Atlantic University.

Cash-for-home businesses take advantage of seniors

He hung himself four days after closing on his Palm Bay home for $20,000 through one of those "cash for your house" businesses. His house’s market value, according to Zillow, was $180,000.

He was a 73-year-old with multiple sclerosis and under psychiatric care on multiple medications prescribed for manic depression, obsessive compulsion and bipolar disorders, anxiety, schizophrenia, panic disorder and OCD.

Based on my reading of Florida Statute 825.103, he was a victim of exploitation, but because he’s a dead victim, there’s no recourse.

The $20,000 proceeds went to a woman he lived with for all of two weeks. She claimed she knew he was suicidal. Someone else now owns his house.

I contacted law enforcement and multiple fraud investigation agencies, including the Elderly Fraud Hotline, Florida Department of Children and Family Elder Fraud and AARP’s Fraud Watch Network, that didn’t even bother to respond. I learned nothing can be done because the exploited victim is dead and all I can do is tell the story.

It is sometimes suggested that suicide is an "unforgivable sin." What of those who benefited like this “cash for your house" rep, who said he sat and had a whole three-hour conversation with this man and claimed they became friends. Friends?

There’s nothing left to hope for except a comprehensive investigative reporting of these cash-for-house businesses to warn and educate, thus hopefully preventing future exploitation of our more physically and mentally compromised citizens.

Susan Parry, Fort Pierce

Why not join up to solve homelessness?

Lately, there has been a lot of news about the homeless (unhomed?) problem.

My question is, why isn't there a coordinated effort among the local groups, charities and churches, or perhaps there is one, but it is not well known. And, yes, I understand that United Way does coordinate somewhat.

But what if the leaders of these organizations met and put their heads and resources together to help with this problem? One might have some resource(s) another needs and vice versa, and either they could work together or swap out something.

I see all the work and effort that each and every one of these wonderful organizations puts forth in our great community, but think how much more positive results could be had if we joined up together?

Jan Belwood, Palm City

Sexual abuse real; stop blaming victims

Let’s address the elephant in the room.

There has been an onslaught of high-profile sexual assault accusations in the media in the past few years — more now than ever since the #MeToo Movement became part of our permanent culture. With the daily reports of sexual violence, abuse, harassment and trafficking, the victim backlash has increased, too.

Though I adhere to the adage, “Start by Believing,” it is easy to understand why these reports are hard to conceptualize, especially for individuals who have never thought about sexual violence, much less daily. Preventing these crimes is tedious work that will take generations to achieve. Ending the victim-blaming mentality of our society will take just as long if we continue to deny true, lived experiences that, unfortunately, know no bounds of gender, race, ethnicity, socioeconomic status or any other factor.

We cannot bury our heads in the sand every time we hear another story of sexual violence; we cannot simply ignore the headlines about children’s television networks or rap tycoons.

While some may say the details are sensationalized or suspiciously timed, they are now part of our daily lives. With each new allegation, admission and conviction, we see the floodgates opening to allow those victimized in every industry and every community to come forward. Someone you know personally is almost guaranteed to have their own sexual trauma resurfaced in the face of the public discourse.

This is our opportunity to use these headlines as a way to grow empathy, learn about the systemic roots of sexual violence, understand the tools necessary for personal and community healing and embrace this reality with compassion rather than with skepticism, ridicule and blame.

Mindi Fetterman of Palm City is founder of The Inner Truth Project.

Cruising, but touring with separate entity? Buyer beware

While listening to the news the other evening, I heard the following: "... when we return, the story of cruise passengers left behind in Africa ... "

I was very interested in this as my family has been cruising for many years without experiencing any such situation.

It appears that a small group of passengers had taken a non-ship-sponsored tour. Anyone who has ever cruised understands one of the most basic rules of cruise travel: The ship is not responsible for any delays caused by passengers using non-ship-sponsored tour companies.

The rules go on to say the ship will only wait a limited time for all passengers to be aboard. Once that time is reached, the ship will leave and passengers not aboard must make their own arrangements to meet the ship at its next port of call.

While it is unfortunate that these passengers had to endure this inconvenience, especially in a strange land, they brought the hardship upon themselves. With cruise travel as with any other purchase, caveat emptor.

Ray Mancari, Vero Beach

Floridians blasted by costly, sometimes inaccessible, homeowners insurance

Seems like us Floridians are being pummeled with extraordinarily high prices for our homeowners insurance.Some people might have to consider selling their homes and renting.There are so many retirees here in Florida who live on fixed incomes. This is becoming non-affordable for some, especially seniors.If you don’t have hurricane-proof skylights, front doors, garage doors and a new roof, you get punished with higher costs.It’s been rumored insurance companies are fleeing Florida and rumored new insurance companies will replace them, with possible discounts to homeowners.But again, that’s just a rumor.Who can we complain to? Ron DeSantis? Who else? Who do we write?The snowbirds who own two homes will also really feel the pain of the higher fees.And as a senior couple that recently had a black mold problem and our own homeowners' insurance turned us down three times, what’s the purpose of insurance if it has so many restrictions to reimbursing you for your storm damages?One neighbor, a single gal, is considering making a very high deductible so her premiums can be lower. Again, what’s the purpose of insurance if you are not sure if you will get reimbursed for storm damages?Any ideas?

Janet Wenz, Palm City

Biden a workhorse? In what alternative universe?

I read with disbelief Sharon Garland's recent letter. Joe Biden is a workhorse?

It seems like he works four hours a day, four days a week and has taken more vacation than any other president in our history.

And his Bidenomics are a farce. It costs me $25 more to fill my gas tank then it did the day before he took office. Our exit from Afghanistan was terrible with 13 of our gifted Marines losing their lives. And we have not even discussed the border problems yet.

I could go on and on about the failures of the Biden administration, but for what purpose?

Norbie Lavigne, Vero Beach

This article originally appeared on Treasure Coast Newspapers: St. Lucie school board recovers; Vero Beach blunder costs residents