Bee Heard

(Editor's note: Call The Bee at 632-0390 and record a one-minute comment on our Bee Heard line. It gives readers an opportunity to comment quickly and candidly on items of local or regional interest. Callers do not have to identify themselves and no callers' names will be used. In the interest of fairness and good taste, The Bee will not publish derogatory or insulting comments. All comments are by our readers and are subject to editing.

.I hope the new police chief will enforce the cell phone law, because it is badly misused. Also, using directionals on your car when turning left or right, as this will avoid accidents and rear-end collisions.

.If someone needs surgery, they are usually required to seek a second opinion. On behalf of our trees in Williamsville, I demand a second opinion from someone other than the arborist, who is apparently the surgeon who would remove these trees. The cavalier stance allowing no appeal just doesn't cut it in Williamsville. Don't devastate our landscape unnecessarily.

.Once again, people are complaining about the Highway Department not picking up tree limbs. Are these the same people who were happy that Supervisor Mohan told the department not to hire any part-time help or to cut back overtime? The department can't do it without enough help.

.About a month ago, I requested the smaller size garbage tote. It seems like a relatively simple thing, but the Town of Amherst has gotten to the point that even the simplest things are a problem for them. No one seems to be speaking to anyone; the left hand doesn't know what the right hand is doing. I wonder where does one go. You begin to feel that the town is helpless.

.I want to thank the town for the garbage totes; they are easy to use, and they look much better at the street rather than everyone's varied and assorted garbage cans. The covers keep garbage from flying all over the place - no more flying pizza boxes. Thank you.

.Regarding the article, Brewing a good compost pile, on page 37 of the June 20 edition, I'm confused. With the huge rat problem, why would you publish this article to have people build a compost pile? There are some really bad omissions in the article. The article does not mention that you are never to drop any type of dairy or animal products, which attract all the animals that we're trying to avoid.

.I've been a resident of Amherst for 40 years, and a couple of weeks ago I put out the remains of a console stereo; it was disassembled, set to the curb, along with two pieces of plywood (no longer than four feet long), and for two cycles it remained there. Finally, my son-in-law came with his pickup truck, drove 65 miles back to his house and put it in his landfill without a problem. Maybe someone can explain why this was passed over for two weeks. Has our service really slipped to this level?

.The narrow, six-vote win by Williamsville Mary Lowther should be a wake-up call that there is little confidence and diminishing support in her ability to fix things in the village. The Glen Park, Garrison Park and Island Park deteriorated during her tenure in office. Removing fallen trees, rebuilding walls and repairing playground equipment are easy enough to repair. The storm damage can no longer be used as an excuse for inactivity in addressing these issues.

.I received my $60 bill today for my tote in the Village of Williamsville. I don't mind spending the $60, but what really irks me is that I drive around and see these totes jam-filled and the lids open anyway. I always had a can with a lid on it in the first place; now I have to pay $60 because a lot of people didn't, and the same people are putting their totes out, filled to the brim and over the brim, and it's still going to attract rodents.

.Amherst Supervisor Satish Mohan's plan to revise the assessment process ended up in Mohan unilaterally defunding the town assessment problem and by fiat declaring that assessments would not occur this year. That plan resulted in a sting for seniors who are on the Enhanced STAR program. Now Mohan unilaterally says he is going to restore the assessment process to what it used to be, yet not fund the assessor's department. Mohan's plan to help sinking homeowners merely reduces sinking homeowners' assessments, which means the rest of the town's taxpayers are shouldering the burden of the sinking homes. Neither of those approaches are appropriate, and both of them are direct violations or contradictions of Mohan's bizarre campaign promises.

.I went to get a resident ID card for myself and asked for advice on purchasing a limited ID card for my grandchildren (ages 2 and 4) and my daughter, who will be living with me for the next three months. I was told there was no program in place, and it would cost me $5 per person per day. I'd like to know who is in charge that could implement a nonresident fee or a temporary usage fee for my daughter and grandchildren.

.Could the Town of Amherst make it any more complicated to get an Amherst residency card? It took me three visits to get it right; I couldn't use a credit card; I must have birth certificates; I must have children present. I heard several exasperated people the night we signed up for classes. Come on, make a more reasonable policy.

.I'm extremely disappointed the village election did not produce a change in the mayoral position. We can't have four more years of double-speak from study groups, accompanied by no meaningful accomplishments. The mayor needs to spend less time on strawberry festivals, and address the serious issues set forth in the Harmony Party platfor m.

.Please, please, please, somebody out there would you give a great gift to the Town of Amherst and arrange to transport the Jimmy's Restaurant building at Harlem and Kensington to the Amherst Museum? This is an early Amherst landmark, and it will surely be destroyed by construction at the site if someone doesn't act. Don't let this piece of Amherst history be destroyed. If someone doesn't act soon, it will be too late.

.I travel constantly up and down Maple Road, and the road is in terrible shape. It's bumpy from Niagara Falls Boulevard to Transit Road. Why can't it be paved, like Sheridan Drive, nice and smooth? I'd like a response in the paper, if possible.

.My husband and I would like to thank Mrs. Gambino and Mrs. Elardo for stepping up last Thursday night by putting on the best post-prom event Williamsville South students have ever attended. We commend these parents, and the other volunteers who helped that night, for stepping up to keep our students alcohol- and drug-free.