Published: June 04, 2008 07:44 am            

LETTERS: June 4, 2008

New Albany City Council jerks knees again with lighter legislation

The New Albany City Council thinks that tractor-shaped cigarette lighters are a “grave threat to the health and safety” of the citizens of New Albany, so at last Monday’s meeting, they unanimously voted to require that business owners keep these and other “novelty lighters” 48 inches off the floor and made it illegal for anyone under 18 years old to buy one.

Only one incident in the United States can be cited in the ordinance’s defense. In Russellville, Ark., a 4-year-old, unattended toddler in his own home, which had its smoke detector disconnected, played with a novelty lighter, presumably purchased by his over 18 parent and started a fire that would tragically take the lives of his two younger brothers.

Apparently Councilwoman Diane McCartin-Benedetti, the ordinance’s author, and the other council members look at a tragic scene like that and come to the conclusion that the tragedy could have been averted if only Russellville quickie marts would have displayed their novelty lighters at least 48 inches from the floor.

This is classic knee-jerk legislation. A tragic event has occurred and government has to spring into action to make everything better. But instead of actually taking steps to improve the situation, it jumps at the first legislation that provides the appearance of helping, regardless of any real impact.

I talked to New Albany Fire Chief Marc Juliot and his fire safety and prevention officer Jodie Wilson. Wilson originated the idea of this legislation along the lines of the draconian ordinance that Jeffersonville just passed that bans the novelty lighters outright. Councilwoman McCartin-Benedetti along with the help of city counsel Shane Gibson altered the original intent to that stated above. Both Juliot, in person, and Wilson, over the phone, stated that the ordinance as written would have only a limited impact on averting the kind of tragedy that happened in Russellville.

I think that Juliot and Wilson would agree that education of parents and children to the risks posed by all lighters is the best form of fire prevention. More is the pity, the City Council voted to designate only half of the fines generated by this ordinance to the cause of fire safety and education. The other half they kept for themselves to spend.

— Jeff Roudenbush, New Albany

One mother's viewpoint on GCS meeting

I attended my first Greater Clark County School Board Meeting on April 8.

The reason I decided to attend the school board meeting was that my son said they were going to lay off teachers and cut vocational programs at Charlestown High School.

There was a lot of discussion on the current financial problems that the school is having to deal with. A lot of awards for the achievements of current faculty members and students were given, which I believe was well deserved.

Now, let me get to the reason for writing this letter. I know we have a school board, but only two board members addressed the issues of the vocational programs and they were Mr. Bill Halter and Mr. Ernie Gilbert. Another person, who was not a board member, Mr. Robert Fields, had to get prior permission to speak at the school board meeting and spoke on his support of the programs.

I know there are other board members beside Mr. Halter and Mr. Gilbert. Where are these other board members on the issue of the vocational programs?

Let them speak out at an open board meeting instead of behind closed doors, so the citizens will know where they stand.

It appears that Dr. Tony Bennett, superintendent of the Greater Clark County School System wants to have full control of the board members and what is to be said at these meetings.

We have a president of the school board who chairs these meetings. Where was he? Does he not have a say in what is to be addressed and spoken at these meetings? If not, why is he even there?

If the school board members are there based on voters’ choices, then why are they not speaking up on the important issues for our kids. Our kids are our future and someone needs to be reminded of that.

— Carolyn Jackson, Jeffersonville

Farr questions Wendelin column

Dr. Bart D. Ehrman, on page 165 of his book, “The New Testament,” provides Biblical evidence to question the historicity of John 2:1-12, the “water to wine miracle” that the Rev. Mary H. Wendelin used to support her May 31, 2008 column, “Fill the jars.”

In John 2:11, Jesus performs his “first sign” of turning water into wine and in John 4:54, he performs his “second sign” by healing a Capernaum official’s son. However, John 2:23 indicates that while Jesus was in Jerusalem many people believed in him “because they saw the signs that he was doing.” Dr Ehrman asks: “How can he do the first sign, and then other signs, and then the second sign?”

— Larry E Farr, Jeffersonville

        

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