Letters to the Editor

Savings over safety?

To the editor:

I think some questions should be asked about the possible arrangement being contemplated by the Demorest City Council and Habersham County regarding the future of the Demorest Fire Department.

Does that mean they would just give the county all the equipment, trucks and even the building and the property it sits on?

And on top of that the City of Demorest would then have to pay Habersham County to provide fire protection. Although the fee would be less per year than the amount of the current fire department’s budget, the possible savings is the only thing that the newly elected council members see. They have very little to no knowledge of the services that are provided by Demorest Fire Department. Is our police department next?

I’m suggesting that we are given time to look at this from all sides. As taxpayers we should have input into what affects our safety. I believe that the newly elected council members have met and made deals in close door meetings without the knowledge of Demorest’s Mayor or  Fire Chief. So, as someone that owns property both in the City of Demorest and in the county, does savings outweigh safety? 

For the City of Demorest to save, the fee paid to the county would have to be substantially less than what is currently budgeted. So, the county will be taking a loss to provide fire protection services to the City of Demorest. With the county looking for money to improve roads, build a new jail, and not having fire protection staffing throughout the county, why would they wish to take a loss on providing service to the City of Demorest? If the county has money to lose, would not the money be better used for additional firefighters in the county? What impact does this have on our taxes? Do my city taxes go down and my county taxes go up?

I ask both the residents of the City of Demorest and Habersham County to seek out your elected officials and begin to ask questions. Seek out the individuals that are also running for office and ask them their opinion on what I see is using county funds to pay for city services. I also ask the residents of the City of Demorest to show support for the public safety departments in the city, both fire and police are subjected to being turned over to the county. Refer to the City of Demorest’s web site for meeting dates, which I believe are the first and last Tuesday nights beginning at 6 p.m.

Lori Thompson

Demorest

Support our hospital

To the editor:

One morning after breakfast my husband had a stroke. Rarely is he ever sick but I knew 911 had to be called immediately. Having been a nurse on the other side of this episode, I had no idea the true feeling of waiting for help to come for a loved one. 

I cannot express to you the swiftness and professionalism the first responder and then the EMTs showed us. Don was transported to the Habersham Medical Center ER where the nurses, doctors, lab techs, x-ray techs, CNA’s, the woman at the front desk and even the housekeepers treated us with the utmost respect and professionalism. Eventually we were moved to the ICU where we stayed for four days and then Med-Surg for two.

Never have we ever received such care as we did in both places. Our hospitalists didn’t leave a stone unturned, conferring with our cardiologist and neurologist in Gainesville and our Primary Physician in Demorest. The nurses were among the most professional people I have ever met. We were treated as if we were their family. As a matter a fact, we spent our 50th wedding anniversary in ICU and were given a card that everyone from ICU and Med-Surg had signed. Come to find out, our hospitalist, Dr. Kevin Sullivan, was the one who had bought the card and brought it in to the nurses. Would that have ever happened in those big hospitals that know you as a room number?

I don’t think so! All we can say is don’t ever sell our hospital short, just because we aren’t in a big city. Our physicians, nurses and equipment are as good if not better than Northside or Northeast Georgia.

I urge you to support Habersham Medical Center in every way you can. Just as our community is a hidden jewel away from big cities, so is our hospital.

Sherrie Fry

Clarkesville

Trump has mishandled crisis

To the editor:

I would like to respond to the letter by Mr. Frank Ferrer in the March 18 edition of The Northeast Georgian “Panic is really a coup.” When reading it for the first time I chuckled, thinking this guy can’t be serious. Then I read it again and I realized that he really believes it! I am sure that this is what Trump and his cronies want us to believe – no matter how ridiculous the idea really is. 

The term “coup” is typically used to describe a forceful and violent takeover, of an existing government, a revolution, a rebellion or an overthrow. None of these come anywhere close to describe what is happening here!

Any country with many COVID-19 cases has a reason to panic, just look at Europe! Are any of these countries trying to overthrow their current government? But we have one additional reason to panic that those countries do not have – an incompetent president.

The bottom line is that Trump has totally mishandled the COVID-19 pandemic and now he is trying to deflect the blame. Stating at the beginning of the outbreak that the whole thing was a hoax cooked up by the fake news and propagated by the Democrats to his statements “that anyone who wants a coronavirus test can get one” and the most recently “tap dance” about the availability of tests, personal protective equipment and ventilators. The only thing he has proven so far is his total incompetence as a President when dealing with this serious situation!  

Just for the record, I am not a Democrat and I am also not a Republican. Since becoming an US citizen on Nov. 13, 1981, I have never voted a straight ticket.  It does not matter to me if a candidate has a “R” or a “D” behind his/her name, those letters do not determine if someone is the “right” or “wrong” candidate.

I just look at the facts and make my decision based on what I see.

Hans J. Wiegert

Alto