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PAGE 4A PICKENS COUNTY PROGRESS THURSDAY. JANUARY 23. 2003 Letters to the Editor V / Dear Editor: Following the ground-breaking ceremony at the site of the new hospital on Highway 515, the entire hillside and much of the surround ing area was stripped bare of all trees, shrubs and top soil. Recently a small sign was posted on Salem Church Road at the site of the raw, barren hillside. Stopping my truck to read the sign, I learned that a rezoning hearing was to be held at Jasper City Hall. At the rezoning hearing this past Wednesday night, I learned that the request was to rezone 25 acres of the hospital site from commercial to residential apartments where 176 one- to three-bedroom apartments would be built and paid for with State issue bonds. Proceeds from bonds to be free of taxes. Represen tatives of the builder stated that there would be 8 units per acre and thus leaving a maximum of 3 acres for open space. The apartments would be entered off a new city street that would run from 515 to Salem Church Road. A gated entrance to the apartments. Ameni ties would include: swimming pool, fitness center, computers, after school program and tutoring for children would be available. Cost of amenities to be included in rent which would be from $575 for a one-bedroom apartment to around $800 for a three-bedroom apart ment. It obvious that apartments next to the hospital could be a big plus in transportation cost savings for hospital employees. Questions remain: (1) What will be the actual size (square footage) of the pro posed apartments? (2) What topsoil will be replaced and what landscap ing will be done to cover the barren red clay? (3) Will there be an engi neering study of the builder’s plans to determine the projected life expectancy of the apartments? I doubt that the hospital administra tion or the citizens of Jasper and Pickens County want slum housing next to a hospital in 15-20 years. Will there be any iron-clad contract or agreement to assure that the builders actually follow through with what they proposed to do in the presentation to the planning/zoning committee and, if so, who will monitor and enforce it? The Jasper City Council will receive the recommendation from their committee at their next regu lar meeting in February. It is hoped that these and other questions will be answered before that meeting. Sincerely, Francis E. Stewart Dear Editor: This letter is in response to the Jan. 9 letter from the woman want ing to know where is “Don’s Bar ber Shop?” If you have been here almost three years, I hope by now you know where Main Street is. If you are going from South to North or North to South you will notice Highway 53 crosses Main Street almost in the center of town. On one corner you will see Jasper Drug Store, another is Bank of North Georgia, across the street is NAPA auto parts and Miller and Associ ates, and a traffic light right in the center of the street. If you come from the East on 53, you will turn right and go North; you will see a monument almost at the end of the street. The Old Jail is located across the street. D.B. Carroll Street is between the Old Jail and Jasper Banking Co. You will turn left, go through a 4-way stop. Our shop is the first business on the right. If you come from 53 West, you will make a left turn on Main Street and turn left on D.B. Carroll Street. This street was named College Street until about a year ago. Many of our customers haven’t noticed the change and to name this in the ad could have caused confusion to some of them, but I’m sure they would have been more than glad to dial the phone to see if we had moved. If you had read the ad as its intended purpose, you would have seen it was directed to our cus tomers in thanks for their under standing in Don’s illness and let them know his hours since he is now on dialysis three days a week and has had to change his work hours. And again I would like to take this opportunity to say thank you to our faithful customers. I’m glad you haven’t needed a hospital in the almost three years you’ve been here, or you would know we only have one hospital here, and it will soon be moved to Hwy. 515 south of the traffic light where Hwy. 53 crosses 515. The Pickens County Progress does a good job printing the paper each week, and I’m sure they have enough to do without seeing every ad has full directions to their busi nesses. On the other hand, the cost of printing directions would be so great not many of us could afford to use the paper as advertisement. I hope this has given you some help in the problem you’re having find ing businesses located in and around Jasper. Ruth Ware Dear Editor: I should really start this letter by telling you not to print it! Why should it be printed if all of your readers already know all that there is to know about the subject. What subject? Why, the upcoming vote on the Special Purpose Local Option Sales Tax (SPLOST) on Tuesday, March 18, 2003, of course. The tax that will fund our immediate needs. The reason that I had debated asking you to print this is because I know that all of the concerned citi zens of Pickens County are aware of the need for the enhanced 911 operators to be able to pinpoint their calls in a real emergency and they know that we don’t have that now. They also know of the need of the Emergency Medical Service and its mandate to provide the best possible service to the 24,800 citi zens of this county covering 149,000 acres. All of our citizens are familiar with the water problems that we have. Water for drinking, farming and firefighting. Yes, firefighting! They also know that we need more firefighting vehicles and equip ment. They also know that we need better roads, roads that can accom modate the increase in the number of residents that we have and will continue to have, and so that we can get our emergency equipment to them that may someday need to have those services. Well, if all your readers already know this, then they are going to vote for the SPLOST on March 18. BUT ARE THEY? There are some that will not. You know why of course: They are the ones that will never, and I mean never, vote for any tax increase. They are the ones that complain about conditions, but will not participate in funding them. They are the ones that believe that only property owners should pay the taxes and that have never considered the advantages in having all of our visitors contribute to the beauty and wonder of our community. Well, if your readers fit into that class, and I doubt if you have many, it would also have been fool ish to print this, as nothing will Holly’s Collectibles & Gifts 345 NORTH MAIN STREET JASPER, GA 30143 706-253-7268 SALE 25% - 50% OFF MONDAY - SATURDAY 10:00 A.M. - 5:30 P.M. Excludes NASCAR Diecast change their minds. I’m a newcomer to this commu nity, having lived here a mere 15 years, but I am as interested as are the “old-timers” in seeing this area keep up with the actualities of our present time. I also realize that there are merchants in this county that believe that the one penny increase in sales tax will keep peo ple away. NO WAY! Visitors are pouring into our area and they are more than willing to buy local goods and pay for them. As the past Grand Jury foreman, as a fellow citizen and as a friend, I hope that all of your readers really know it all and will VOTE FOR SPLOST on Tuesday, March 18, 2003. Edwin Marger Letters Welcomed “Letters to the Editor" is an important public forum in the com munity and the Progress welcomes and encourages these letters. Let ters concerning any matter of gen eral local interest will be consid ered for publication. Letters addressing issues will be accepted but not those expressing a personal grievance directed toward another individual. All letters MUST BE SIGNED with address and phone number given where the author can be reached to verify information. Opinions expressed in letters and signed columns are those of the author and do not necessarily rep resent the views held by the Progress. Are your lips the most kissable? Find out at our Most Kissable Lips contest. Simply come in and “kiss” g the entry form! Prizes will be awarded. 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