Letters to the Editor

+ Town manager should evaluate the commissioners
Dear Editor:
I find it hard to believe and accept that three commissioners with less than two years experience have performance issues with our town manager.

The one commissioner with the most experience and tenure thinks he’s doing a good job — 14 years service, whose opinion would you rely on?

Over the past 14 years, the town manager has worked with a number of commissioners and is more qualified to judge their performance than these commissioners his.

Maybe the town manager ought to evaluate the commissioners for the voters in March.
Ray Rajewski
Longboat Key

+ Thank you to Longboat Observer’s community editor
Dear Editor:
D.M. Williams, general manager, and the entire staff at Casa del Mar Resort on Longboat Key, would like to thank the Longboat Observer’s community editor, Mallory Gnaegy, for attending and writing about the 30th anniversary celebration for Williams that was held Sept. 10. Ms. Gnaegy is a pleasure to work with and exhibits a high measure of professionalism, and as we can all already see, has excellent writing and reporting skills. We look forward to reading future articles written by Ms. Gnaegy about all of the upcoming events on Longboat Key.
D.M. Williams and staff

+ Flags should have been flown at half-staff on 9/11
Dear Editor:
On Sunday morning on 9/11, we displayed our remembrance of the 10th anniversary with a spray of flag-like balloons from our condo balcony. After watching much of the touching morning TV coverage, my husband and I drove south on Longboat Key toward Sarasota. 

How saddened we were to see almost every flag along Gulf of Mexico Drive flying high instead of at half-staff to honor Patriot Day — most shockingly the Fire Department. We telephoned the Fire Department to inform them their flag should be flying at half-staff and were told they required a directive from the town of Longboat Key to make any changes. We also called the Police Department and received a more humane response that the operator would notify the officer in charge. 

Three condo complexes along the way got it right — Seaplace, The Water Club and Promenade were all at half-staff. When we returned home in the afternoon, many flags had been corrected. This day is a day of remembrance for our country — to remember the lives lost and the heroes who died trying to save them. Shame on us for being asleep at the chance to honor them! Let us commit, from this day forward, to be better stewards of our own fallen brothers and sisters.
Teresa and Bob Simmons
Longboat Key