THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Sunday, March 31, 1996 TAG: 9603300089
SECTION: SUFFOLK SUN PAGE: 06 EDITION: FINAL
TYPE: Letter
LENGTH: Long : 130 lines
In response to the letter, ``If council members want this trip, let them pay,'' by Estelle Stephenson of Bennetts Pasture Road:
It disturbs me when someone makes a statement that is not true or makes a false implication. A thorough check of the situation should be made before making any statements. Simply do your homework.
As a matter of fact, the city does not have a surplus of funds for sending people on tax-paid junkets. Also, not all council members are going to Oderzo, Italy. Council will be represented, as well as representatives from the city government and representatives from the business community. However, it is NOT at taxpayers' expense. Each must pay their own way and that of their spouses.
As an official visit and the formal uniting of Oderzo, Italy, with Suffolk as a sister city, this can have far-reaching benefits for both communities, perhaps not in a year or two, but over a period of time.
Suffolk owes much to Amedeo Obici. His birthplace happens to be Oderzo, Italy. Obici was the founder of the now famous Planter's Peanuts. He is responsible for Obici Memorial Hospital in Suffolk, and he is responsible for a hospital being built in his hometown of Oderzo. What he did for Suffolk did not happen overnight, and the benefits are far-reaching.
For the future, the uniting of Oderzo and Suffolk can have multiple benefits for both communities in the areas of education, art, culture and economics.
Even if the city was to pay for this visit to Oderzo, which it is not, it still would be a good investment for the future development of the City of Suffolk.
Nelson B. Rapp, Chairman
Suffolk Sister Cities Commission
Peachtree Drive
Suffolk Sister City visit heightens citizen distrust
From the mayor's letter of March 7 to the Honorable Council on the subject of the official visit to the City of Oderzo we read:
``For council members, the cost of the round trip flight and the hotel during the four days of the official visit will be paid by the city, but the remaining (six) days of the trip will be at your own expense. The cost for any other participants in the official delegation will be at their own expense.''
We now read in the newspaper that, ``Cindy Rohlf, the assistant to the city manager, said the city has agreed to pay for the trip of any council members, the mayor and certain city staff that want to go. Rohlf said so far, only the mayor has said he is interested. City Manager Myles Standish and Rohlf also are going.''
Who are these ``certain city staff'' that the taxpayers will also pay for their vacation? Will the taxpayers also pay for the individuals' passport and the tour guide/interpreter as listed in the attachment to the mayor's letter? Quite a bargain for a trip that will cost the taxpayer about $1,100 per person.
And council members wonder why citizens do not trust their government?
Talmadge C. Jones
Harbor Road
Suffolk Leroy Bennett: Most qualified candidate `ever'
We, the members of Elephant's Fork Civic League, endorse Leroy Bennett for councilman of the Nansemond Borough. By far, he is the most qualified candidate ever to run for office in the Nansemond Borough.
Mr. Bennett's leadership qualities rose to the forefront in the Wilroy community, where he has lived for almost 30 years. There he has fought for city water and for the most basic human services.
Mr. Bennett continued to grow in stature when he was appointed to the chairmanship of the Industrial Authority. We have seen places such as Hoffler Apartments rise up from years of decay with new face lifts - new carpet, new fencing, and the repair of broken windows. He has made a positive effect in every position he has been appointed to.
Mr. Bennett now serves as chairman of the Suffolk Redevelopment and Housing Authority, where his leadership is beginning to show positive results with only the most qualified people being appointed or hired to fill vacancies. We are looking forward to the same great results serving as councilman of the Nansemond Borough.
His track record speaks for itself. He has proven to us that his desire is not just to serve the black community in the Nansemond Borough but the borough as a whole. We, the Elephant's Fork Civic League, support him in this effort.
Persie Stagg, President
Floyd Gary, Reporter
Elephant's Fork Civic League April Fools' Day: This family loves it!
April 1 is a big day in our family. It's the day we all can act like fools and get away with it. And every year it looks like we all try to out-fool one another. It is a day of hilarity, outrageous lies and trickery.
Last year I realized what day it was when, at 7 a.m., I turned on the faucet at the kitchen sink and got soaked. It seems some smarty-pants little April fool had wrapped a rubber band around the handle on the spray nozzle and aimed it forward. Then I remembered that the same thing had happened the year before. Some people never learn.
I got them back a few minutes later, when I shrieked, ``Look, there's a cow in the front yard!'' They fell for it even though they knew there were no cows for miles around.
Yes, parents can get in on April Fool jokes, too. I really pulled a good one on my daughter last year. Every morning I dutifully pack her lunch, and on that day she got a particularly bland one. Her usual sandwich had nothing on it but a little mayonnaise. And her individual bag of potato chips was totally empty. Served her right. She is old enough to pack her own lunch, anyway. Once when my oldest son was in school, I made him a cheese sandwich and left the plastic wrapper on the cheese. Neither one of my children were very amused, but I guarantee neither one starved.
My youngest was home sick last April 1. But he wasn't too sick to pull a few tricks on his hapless mom. Most were pure LIES, like making the phone ring and saying things like, ``Mom, it's the police!'' or calling me to the window to see things that weren't there. And after each bald-faced lie came the gleeful words, ``April Fool!'' The worst thing he did was fill my shampoo bottle with maple syrup. I thought it would never wash out!
Through the years we have had salt in sugar shakers and sugar in salt shakers, and of course, short-sheeted beds. We have had scares when someone pulled the main breaker and we had no electricity. We have had channels scrambled on the TV remote, and I got a real scare when someone once worriedly said, ``Mom, there's no memory on your computer any more!''
Are there other families out there that act like we do on April Fools' Day? I certainly hope so. It's harmless fun, and it just adds to those warm-fuzzy family memories that we can draw from when our children grow up and leave home.
But, thankfully it's only one day a year. Another day of it would be entirely too much. Now, if only I could think of the ``perfect'' prank for next year!
Pamela K. Wiggins
Smiths Ferry Road
Franklin by CNB