- April 26, 2024
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This post was updated at 2:46 p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 23, to include a rebuttal by Troy Kent.
Dear Editor:
As a longtime supporter of off beach parking, and as a member of the citizens group that worked with the Trust for Public Lands to make the Ormond Beach Andy Romano Beachfront Park happen, I must take issue with claims by Zone 2 City Commissioner Troy Kent that he was heavily involved with the creation of our beachfront park. Some history, after years of inaction from our city, the people of Ormond took the bull by the horns and voted to raise their taxes to get a park. Mr. Kent was strongly silent in his support for this project. It is true that once the people voted for the park, the city did take over and name and develop the park as they wanted to.
I also want to question Mr. Kent’s proposal to open up all the beach ramps to solve our beach access problem. This is something he’s been pushing for a long time and I just don’t think he ever goes to the beach to see that most of the year, especially the busy summer months, only four-wheel drive vehicles can drive onto the soft sand. What is the point of opening beach ramps when you cannot drive onto the beach? I challenge Mr. Kent and anyone else who supports his proposal to wait until July and try driving two-wheel drive only from Milsap ramp to Granada on the beach. Give us a notice and have the Observer’s photographer there to witness what will happen.
Charles Wilkes
Ormond Beach
Editor’s note: Commissioner Troy Kent asked to respond to Charles Wilkes letter. Here is his response:
"Wilkes says that he was part of a citizen group that worked with the Trust for Public Lands. I ask, what group was that? I, too, worked with a citizen group to make this beachfront park happen. It is called the Ormond Beach City Commission. I held ‘Coffee with Commissioner Kent’ every month to hear from my constituents about this wonderful idea. I personally met with the Trust for Public Lands on several occasions and helped them partner with the city so we could have the crown jewel of all beachfront parks in the state.
"I advocated for the city to buy the old Days Inn and create a beachfront park. I fished with Andy Romano weekly and am proud to say that Andy became one of my closest friends. I brought up the naming of the park after him. My fingerprints are all over the park’s design, from the surfboard racks, family-style restrooms, barbecue grills, playground and splash pad.
"I, too, want more off-beach parking, but let’s face it, prices for land on the beachfront are currently astronomical. We already have the best parking area: on the beach, but when the ramps are closed, we are shut off from our beach. Does the sand get soft in July? Yes! Should four-wheel drive vehicles be allowed to access the beach when the sand is soft? Again, I say yes. We can disagree on issues, but please don’t lie about my hard work and years of dedication to making our community better.”
Dear Editor:
If you have been following what’s happening in the Florida Legislature this past week and listening to the governor’s “campaign” press conferences, then you know that your elected officials have trumped the American Medical Association’s Code of Medical Ethics by legislating what is best for women's health. This isn’t about whether or not you believe in abortion. It’s about other people (mostly men) determining that women, in consultation with a licensed healthcare professional, no longer have the ability to establish the most appropriate healthcare and mental health options for themselves.
Now that we’ve been stripped of that choice, what’s next? Perhaps politicians will decide to legislate that women can no longer attend college or that women don’t have the right to vote. Maybe bureaucrats will dictate how women can dress or who women can love. Maybe women won’t be able to have a bank account or a credit card in their name without their husband’s approval. Sound far-fetched?
Brush up on your history lessons, please. History is repeating itself. Soon, we’ll all be back in the kitchen, barefoot, pregnant, and ironing the men’s shirts, while the pot of stew is simmering on the stove. Enough is enough. It’s no longer about your political affiliation. It is about taking away women's rights and civil liberties. Please vote these people out of office before they take back the rights that you believe are yours as part of our free country.
Trish Stratton
Ormond Beach
