Fire chief didn’t deserve Observer’s criticism
Today’s (Aug. 14) Salisbury Post made my blood boil more than it has in a while. After reading the Charlotte Observer editorial’s critical opinion of Chief Parnell, I cannot stop myself from responding. The right to free speech should be tendered by knowledge of right and wrong. So, right or wrong, I’m expressing mine.
Personally, I’m not particularly fond of Bob. Professionally, however, his dedication, education, commitment to training and leadership cannot be questioned by anyone not in the service. For desk jockeys not accustomed to the chaos of catastrophic incidents to publish opinions finding fault without knowing of what they speak is just wrong.
As to two of the findings of the critique of the mill fire in March, Bob must operate under the restraints of the city’s elected budget overseers. If they wish to be re-elected or maintain employment, they must cut all optimal, desired budget requests. The radios and custom-fitted face-pieces have to be paid for with tax dollars. No taxpayer wants to pay more than is absolutely necessary. So, faulting Bob for not having implemented ideal equipment cannot be laid on his shoulders.
In closing, Fire Chief Parnell does respect all firefighters and their families. To state “A fire chief should respect that or find other work” is a slap in the face to anyone having any dealings with him. To publish that without knowing him …. maybe your writers and editors should seek other employment.
ó Larry Craver
Salisbury
Craver is a retired firefighter.Sen. Rand bottled up moratorium bill
People are still asking me “what happened to the moratorium”?
HB2367, the annexation moratorium bill, was the result of a long and arduous study by the House Select Committee on Annexation. Members twice asked the Senate to take part in this study; and twice, they were refused. Passed by an overwhelming majority in the House, the bill was presented to the Senate. Hundreds of thousands of abused citizens called the Senate majority leader’s office asking for the bill to be heard; 33 senators, the two-thirds required for a hearing, requested that the bill be heard; and Senate Joint Resolution 1573 from 2007 specifically states that bills implementing the resolutions of study commissions and select committees may be heard in the short session. Despite all this, Sen. Tony Rand killed it singlehandedly. Something is very wrong when one man holds this much power.
Acknowledging that abuse is going on, Senator Rand chose to allow it to continue. This will allow the League of Municipalities to continue to use its weapons of mass destruction (the law and the cities) to steal more land and do more damage to the people of this state! Since 1993, 565 bills relating to annexation have been presented to the House and Senate. In most cases, those seeking reform of the law were sentenced to “in-name-only” committees, where they were left to die. It is time for a change of leadership and an indepth investigation of the league’s publicly funded budget and its obvious and continuing damage to the interests of the citizens of this state.
Prior to 1959, when citizens still had a vote on their own futures, 60 percent of proposed annexations were approved by a vote of the people.
In those days, annexation was not powered by greed.
ó Marie Howell
Neel Estates
Officers could usebullet-proof protection
I recently watched a television program where an officer was chasing a felon in a car. The felon has another person with him, and that person was shooting at the officer. The bullets went through the windshield, injuring the officer. I sat there and thought to myself: Why not have a bullet-proof windshield?
I know a couple of officers in the Rowan County Sheriff’s Office. One worked with me and another’s mother worked with me. I know that in a car chase, anything can happen. That is why I think that an officer should have as much protection as possible. I know this from my experience as a Marine in Vietnam.
I was a crane operator. We were ambushed, and the glass in the crane was not bulletproof. After I jumped out, a bullet shattered the glass where I had been sitting. That was a scary point for me. Any officer who gets into a situation involving a car chase should have as much protection as possible.
ó David A. Smith
Salisbury