Thursday, September 2, 2010

County misled us on deed restriction

I just want the county commissioners and the county attorneys to know what a disservice they are doing to the work force of Monroe County. My husband and I have worked two and three jobs all of our lives, and now Monroe County has stolen the equity we had in our Cudjoe Key home. Money that was for retirement.

The county allowed us to overbuild, told us a lie, and allowed a mortgage company to put a huge amount of money on a property that has to be sold as affordable.

Yes, we signed the paper, but we were told that the affordable deed restriction would be removed by paying the impact fee, when the house was no longer affordable. The house was appraised for over $900,000 at one time. Now, the house may bring $200,000 because of the deed restriction.

I can only say that I hope Monroe County will pay for the dirty deeds it has done to good people. Our property will go into foreclosure because the county would not release us from this restriction. In 2007, the commissioners said they would find a release for us. So much for our tax money at work, and the county attorney using the sheriff's helicopter to fly a multitude of workers to Tallahassee to fight us in this battle.

You all must be so proud.

Ruth Discher

Branford

College helped me get back on my feet

This is in response to Basil Gianniotes' Aug. 30 letter concerning the value of Florida Keys Community College. While not everyone is going to take advantage of the opportunities offered at this school, I am extremely grateful for the life-changing experience I was afforded there.

After spending a year recovering from a scooter accident (no, I wasn't at fault) in which I received extensive head injuries, with the help of the staff at FKCC I was able to pursue career training. I hadn't been able to work and they helped me find grants and scholarships for which I was qualified. The education I was given there has helped me develop a career and enhanced my life in so many ways.

I will be forever grateful to those folks. Because of the financial aid afforded me, I was able to attend classes full time and to volunteer for three years as a house monitor with the Florida Keys Outreach Coalition. It was very nice to be able to receive help, and return to being a contributing member of society.

I hope others will find what I have found at this valuable community resource.

Pete Petersen

Key West

Shelter run by county when dog euthanized

Katha Sheehan's Aug. 30 letter, "Let SUFA run shelter," creates the false impression that the local SPCA was involved in the euthanization of our beloved dog, Shadow, over a decade ago. Just the opposite is true.

My brothers and I brought Shadow to our home from "the pound," then run by county staff. Shadow happily accompanied me, and later my younger brother, while we walked to work at a local ice cream shop. She soon made friends with Old Town merchants, who put out treats and bowls of water for her on our walking route.

Unfortunately, while we were at school and my parents were at work, Shadow got bored alone in our yard and learned to open the gate to "go out on the town." When we added a dog-proof latch, she burrowed under the fence. If left on a leash, she howled inconsolably.

After several escapes, the county officer who apprehended her threatened that Shadow's next escape would be her last. Despite our best efforts, she got out once more. My elderly grandmother found her and was leading Shadow home, when a surly "dog Nazi" took the leash from grandmother's hands. We did not "bring her to the pound." Shadow was taken from us. After insisting that Shadow be put up for adoption, the shelter's administration told us Shadow had a new Keys home with a huge fenced yard. Later we learned from a shelter volunteer (not Katha) that this was a lie; Shadow had been euthanized.

Because of that terrible experience, which we learned wasn't unusual, we joined with others to demand that the county turn over the shelter to SPCA. Under SPCA's management, the animal shelter has become a caring, not killing, facility. The adoption "complications" of which Katha Sheehan complains are safeguards to assure that adopted animals go to homes that can accommodate them. My dad's volunteer work at the animal shelter is Shadow's legacy.

Amy S. Hall

Tampa