Dear Editor:
I love the red firey sunsets we have been having. Unfortunately, they have come at a tremendous cost to our friends and neighbors. While I have been riding my mountain bike, hiking my dogs, going to the free summer concerts the past few days, the living is easy.
Meanwhile, eight property owners, and hopefully no more, have lost their homes. I hope with our label, “The Best Town in America Ever” (which we all believe and did not need Outside Magazine to tell us), we will live up to this and offer our resources, financial help, and our vacant rentals to those who have been sadly displaced.
I hope The Park Record will offer us some ways in which we can help so we know where and what to do. I would only hope someone would do that for me, heaven forbid.
Michelle Kerby
Park City
Park City community has lost a treasure
Dear Editor:
Aaron Alford passed away Monday, August 12, doing what he loved most: supporting students and athletes. Aaron was preparing to begin his tenure as the athletic director at Park City High when he suffered a heart attack. I, and many others in the Park City community, had the good fortune to know and admire a great husband, father and coach. Aaron’s greatest gift was his dedication and enthusiasm towards the young people with whom he came in contact. Park City has lost a husband, a father, a coach, a motivator, a mentor and a treasure. From all who knew him: Rest in peace, my friend.
John Lukrich
Park City
Vituperative rants at Truth in Taxation meeting
Dear Editor:
I was rather taken aback at the spitefulness of Summit County Council members Claudia McMullin and Roger Armstrong toward Jacqueline Smith, Sue Pollard and Kristen Brown at the Truth in Taxation meeting held on Wednesday night. Every individual that made a comment that night was given as much time as needed to speak except Jacqueline Smith, who was held to a three-minute time limit. Also, Jacqueline’s questions were left unanswered.
Kristen was making a point about the council not listening to the voices of the 5,500 voters who signed a petition requesting that the 2012 tax increase go to a vote of the people when Mr. Armstrong and Ms. McMullin shot back with vituperative rants, proving Kristen’s point that they don’t listen and appeared to be more interested in belittling those who disagree with them than listening.
Most appallingly, Mr. Armstrong included Sue Pollard in his rudeness. Sue Pollard attended the meeting but had not and did not make a comment, making it look as if he was simply out to disparage her. Mr. Armstrong apologized to Kristen, but not Sue.
Those elected to public office have a duty to maintain decorum and Mr. Armstrong and Ms. McMullin failed to do so.
Ann L. Daniel
Park City
Boarding for small dogs displaced by the fire
Dear Editor:
Little Dogs Resort in Salt Lake City will board any small-breed dogs under 20 pounds that have been found or displaced by the fire evacuation. Contact 801-261-0150 for help. Transportation for your dog from Summit County to Little Dogs is available.
Jennifer McMurrough
Summit County
Students are still sleepless in Park City
Dear Editor:
About this time every year I read an article about how early start schools really do a disservice to their students because of the fact that students in this particular age range need their sleep! Well, last Sunday in the Salt Lake Tribune, yet another article was shared with us. It is titled A’s to Z’s, if you would like to look it up on their website. It is very informative and I think you will find it as frustrating as I do as to why we continue to allow our school district to have such early start hours.
Now, as the new school year begins, I am faced with an even more ridiculous plight. My son wants to take a physics AP class at the high school but he can only take it if he is willing to take the lab that is offered with the class. The lab is not offered during school hours but only as a zero-hour class. That means the lab is only being offered at one time. That is at 6:40 in the morning! So now my child, who will already be sleep deprived due to a regular start time of 7:30 a.m., is now being forced to wake even earlier at 5:45-ish to make it on time to a lab class. Am I the only one that finds this absolutely absurd? There should be two options provided.
Here we are, probably one of the most wealthy districts in the state. We make sure our students have only the best the best computers, the best books, the best uniforms and yet we don’t provide them with the very thing that all the studies show is best for them sleep!
I am pleading here. How can this be changed? I know I can’t do anything about the start time of school, but I don’t feel as though I am asking a lot to provide another option to my child and the other kids out there who would rather get some quality sleep and take the lab after school as opposed to before. I have contacted Mr. O’Connor, Ms. Conley and Mr. Matthews. I ask that the three of you intelligent educators please put your heads together and find a solution for this school year so that my child can take AP physics.
Thanks for your time!
Trudy Cohen
Park City