Thank you for the great picture of David Eller and the great “Dion.” I haven’t seen or heard of him in quite a while. That was [from] my good old days in my native New York and brought back some great memories. What a great pick me up, thanks again.

Marilyn Fernando

Oakridge A

Deerfield Beach

Hillsboro beach renourishment needed

Dear Editor:

I am writing this letter as a representative of the Overlook, a condominium of 104 homes … 104 families you are supposed to represent.

I have a question for you, Madam Mayor and Commissioners. Have you walked the beach recently? Not the north mile, which which we all know is imperiled, but the middle mile running between Opal Towers and The Ocean Grande. At high tide, there are sections where the water stops less than 2 feet from the protective vegetation. Madam Mayor, it is not only the northern mile that is desperate for sand, but at least 2/3 of the town is in dire straights.

You are risking the integrity of the island by your short-sighted decision not to replenish the beach. If you walk the beach, you will see that the entire island is at risk.

It is imperative that sand be injected into the system. This is not my opinion but the opinion of the engineering firm that has been paid $100,000 of tax payer money. I quote John Studt from the minutes of the June 2 meeting: “You have to have some sand source. That’s what the ’97 plan stated and again, this project would need to be done again if you don’t do this, then over time, this other 2 miles would begin to look like the northern mile — if you don’t do anything.”

There is no way we, the residents, can get the appropriate permits to do a restoration of the beach below the mean high water mark. Only you can renourish our beaches.

If you delay, we lose the opportunity to piggy back with Boca. This would make the job even more expensive and you risk not being able to do the renourishment at all if this issue becomes tied up in the courts.

The moment has arrived for you to stand up for Hillsboro Beach. Vote for the renourishment. Don’t let our homes be destroyed because you are faint of heart.

Claire Schubert

Hillsboro Beach

Bigger is not necessarily better

Dear Editor:

Who do you want making decisions about how our city grows? Do you want politicians, lobbyists, developers or YOU making those decisions? Think about our golf courses, our beach property, our parks and other open spaces. How do you think the developers see them?

Developers, and politicians for allowing it, through overdevelopment, have harmed our economy; the market is flooded with vacant foreclosed houses, condos, offices and stores. The weakened economy has forced city and county commissions to raise taxes and fees, and cut library hours, law enforcement, and other services to balance their budgets.

Now that they have ruined the economy, politicians are being lobbied by developers (who donate massive amounts of money to their campaign chests) to weaken controls on growth.

It happened recently at the state level with the passage of Senate Bill 360, signed by Gov. Crist, which repealed major state growth management laws, and it’s happening at the local level across the state.

Once the economy improves, if we allow this, we will be inundated with overgrowth — which will once again fuel the boom-and-bust cycle.

The real estate disaster has created an electorate more than ready to vote “yes” for the Florida Hometown Democracy’s Amendment 4 on the November 2010 ballot. They want control back in the hands of the people who reside in the communities.

Amendment 4 gives community voters a veto power over inappropriate development. It’s the check and balance we need for good government that truly represents OUR interests. If Amendment 4 is passed, and a community wants to change a land use, the voters will have to approve it.

Bett Willett

Deerfield Beach