Letters to the editor

Protecting our rights

Dear editor:

From the Constitution of the state of Arkansas: Article 2, Section 2. Freedom and Independence:

“All men are created equally free and independent, and have certain inherent and inalienable rights; amongst which are those of enjoying and defending life and liberty; of acquiring, possessing and protecting property, and reputation; and of pursuing their own happiness. To secure these rights, governments are instituted among men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed.”

Property rights in Arkansas are protected by the Arkansas Constitution. If you hold title to a piece of real estate, you are its owner. In America, we have the right to land if we are its deed holder. We have the right to use our land, or the right to sell our land at the price we choose. Take away any of those three rights and we have no property rights.

If your city wants to annex county land you own by moving it into the city, the city would first have to buy it from you or you would have to voluntarily agree to give them the right to move your property from the county into the city. But why would you volunteer to do that unless there was a benefit to you for doing that?

The city wants your land to increase its tax base. What value would you receive for giving the city the use of your land to increase its tax revenue? What would you lose in the transaction?

If acquiring city water and sewer has a value for you because you want it … that’s up to you the owner. You bought the land in the county when it didn’t have city water and sewer. So if gaining the city water and sewer service equals the increase in your property tax or you want city restrictions applied to your land, you have the right to agree to it being annexed, but that’s up to you.

But, if you are forced to do that and it will disadvantage you, why would you allow your property right to be infringed?

If we don’t protect all the rights we have, it must mean we don’t think our rights are valuable. The key to remember is this: We the people either own property and have constitutionally protected property rights or we don’t. If we the people allow the government to take our property by force, we become slaves to the government and have no rights. In that case, we become the property of the government, so figure out where you stand on this issue and gather those around you who agree with you and take action to defend what you think is most valuable to you. W.R. Cowan Hot Springs

Coordination crucial

Dear editor:

The similarities between Gatlinburg and Hot Springs are striking. Both are tourist towns, both have major highways through their middle, both have public forests that are at the edge of the city. Like Gatlinburg now, Hot Springs will be subjected to drought conditions. One can visit the Hot Springs Fire Department to see photographs of large fires (and floods!) that devastated the city of Hot Springs. We will soon see the same from Gatlinburg.

With the tragic wildfires in east Tennessee still raging, I am reminded rather forcefully of the need for interoperable communications in the response to a multi-jurisdictional, multi-discipline, multiagency event. The ability of the unified command post to coordinate and direct activities of field forces can be the difference between life and death for the public.

Both the city and the county are actively looking to replace aging radio systems and it is my hope those officials find the way to work together to build a system that will benefit all citizens. That means the system should accommodate incoming responders, as well as being available when our neighboring communities need resources from us. Building radio systems that are unable to “talk” to each other will compound already complex problems for government officials and incident commanders. In my mind, this is a matter of public safety, and is just plain common sense.

Perhaps after a little time has passed and Gatlinburg has an opportunity for salve on their burns, a little research by the smart folks of our community in their community might yield answers to what worked and more importantly, what didn’t! J.M. Rowe Chair Region 4 (Arkansas) 700 MHz Planning Committee Hot Springs

City’s greed on display

Dear editor:

Larry Williams was quoted in The Sentinel-Record this morning (Dec. 1, 2016) that the city board of directors need to vote on the forced annexation the first meeting in 2017 before potential legislation that would repair or repeal the legislation that overlooked the greed and misuse of the enclave law of this year.

Enclave, by the way, is defined as “noun: 1. a portion of territory within or surrounded by a larger territory whose inhabitants are culturally or ethnically distinct. 2. a place or group that is different in character from those surrounding it.”

So, in a sense, he is saying, we know that the existing law was never intended to allow the city to annex mass areas (3,000 acres), but rather to absorb small areas that exist within the city limits that have been excluded in the past. But we are going to abuse that “loophole” and pass this thing before the city resident nor the rural resident can do anything about it. (Sounds familiar doesn’t it?) So, in your face citizens.

Perhaps the best place to drain the swamp is here in our hometown. Our government was founded on no taxation without representation. What Larry Williams is attempting goes against the very foundation of our founders.

We know the city will have to step up all departments to include the newly annexed areas, police, fire, code, streets, storm drains and the all public works. This will strain an already overextended city government. One has to ask the question — why? Who benefits? I think the answer is clear — greed. Personal, financial, egotistical and power could all be the adjectives and more, but greed. Larry Williams and the majority of the board of directors do not care about the rural citizens or city

residents, because if they did, they would call for a vote of the people. Ted C. Burhenn Hot Springs

‘Thanks’ to officer

Dear editor:

Hello to the people of Hot Springs, Ark.

On Nov. 18 of this year I received a knock on the door, the knock every parent dreads, and I am sure no police officer wants to make. It’s a no-win, heart wrenching situation, I sincerely hope not many of you will be on the receiving end of such a horrible nightmare.

In shock, when Officer Shane Davis asked my identification, I denied it, when asked if I had family members or a friend I could call, I again said “No!” I knew if I said “Yes,” a nightmare would unfold and I really needed a few minutes for my heart to start beating again.

Instead of being rude, raising his voice or becoming impatient with me, he poured me a coke, and brought me a roll of towels, until I could make some necessary phone calls. Officer Davis waited 40 minutes until family members could make it in from the Village.

I simply wanted to acknowledge his kindness. Heartbreaking news is softened just a bit when people are kind. Thank you, Officer Shane Davis, a true professional. With regards, Patty Hunt Mother of Christopher Hunt Hot Springs

Time to clean house

Dear editor:

We need to get rid of this three-headed monster we have in Fayetteville. Starting with: 1. Athletic director Jeff Long. 2. Basketball coach Mike Anderson. 3. Football coach Bret Bielema. Arkansas is paying these three men over $7 million a year and for what, terrible teams. We could get young guys on the move up for about a third of the price and turn ‘em loose. Basketball first: A friend of mine lives in Fayetteville now. He was an assistant under Eddie Sutton in the Golden Years. He says the basketball team this year is worse than last year’s. Last year’s team went 16-16. Football second: We’re outscored in the second half in all five games we lost, plus four we won. We did not get a single point in the second half of the Missouri game. Third: Athletic director — his record speaks for itself — first to be fired. Sandy Elliott Hot Springs