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.

.Over the past few weeks, once again Trustee Jeff Kingsley proved why he is the undisputed leader of the village board. He simply remains consistent and objective and does not waiver on his beliefs. In my over 30 years of living in the Village of Williamsville and observing village government, he is simply the best elected official we've ever had. I only hope the remaining board will follow his lead in the upcoming year.

.My wife and I would like to thank all the people involved in handling the Hepatitis problem in Amherst. We found them to be very well organized, and the people involved were friendly and courteous while doing a difficult task. I hate to think what would happen if the problem were left in the hands of the Amherst politicians. I think they would still be fighting about forming a committee, studying the problem, looking into who would be on the committee, how many people were to meet, etc.

.How long will Amherst voters put up with the antics of Shelly Schratz? The woman never stops grandstanding. Now she is telling the Amherst School Board what to do. Shelly should mind her own business and take care of the Town of Amherst. She will never get my vote.

.In response to the caller whose son took DVDs out of the Clearfield Library, it's impossible to take anything out of Amherst libraries without getting a receipt. On the receipt is clearly marked the date items are due; most books are due in three weeks and the media are due in a week. I don't know any place else you can get six or seven DVDs for no charge. I'm sorry the woman will not return, but if she would have taken the time and trouble to read the receipt, she would have known the items were due in a week.

.With the increase in the Williamsville school tax, I think it's time for Dr. Smith to be replaced. In fact, I think all school superintendents should be replaced every four years. This is not a lifetime job.

.Why are developers able to control government and not abide by housing laws and codes? In the Willow Ridge area, they knocked down about 15-20 acres of property and now the area is nothing but a garbage dump. In the Creek Woods area, they knocked down a bunch of trees (a small forest) behind Wegmans and Kohls and they stacked up all the garbage; each pile (there are about 10) is about two stories tall. If I kept garbage on my property two stories tall, I would be fined.

.There are many cradle to-grave type laws on the books, and we probably do not need more. Since we will continue to add more, I have a suggestion for a local ordinance. When contract snow operators shove the snow from the driveway out towards the curb and again shove it back blocking the sidewalks, make them get out of their vehicles with a shovel and remove the oneor two-feet high or more of snow to clear the sidewalk before it freezes into a solid mass.

.So much to be upset about, so little time. It's time the citizens of the Town of Amherst take away the ability of school districts to spend and tax. They are running us into the poor house. I didn't get a 4.7 percent pay increase this year; in fact, I didn't receive a pay raise this year at all, yet the school board continues to take more and more money out of my pocket. I earned it; they didn't. I don't have kids in the school system, never did, don't have children, but I pay and pay and pay. I find out they want to send kids to state and regional competitions at a cost of $177,000 a year. All right, fine, get rid of one of those assistant superintendents at a cost of more than $100,000 a year, and there is your money to send students to competitions. It's getting ridiculous. It is time to stand up and revolt and take away their ability to tax and spend. Get rid of them now.

.I just read the article regarding the Amherst School Board being upset with the town board for taking a stance against the proposed cut in nursing hours. I am appalled that the superintendent and the school board president are offended by the town board resolution and are asking it to be rescinded. They accuse Shelly Schratz and Deborah Bucki of misuse of their political power. Shelly Schratz is a town politician but is also the mother of children at the schools in jeopardy of having their nursing hours cut. She is also an Amherst School District taxpayer. Deborah Bucki is a registered nurse. Aren't politicians supposed to endorse and back up the concerns of their constituents? I, for one, am proud of what they did and the fact they spoke out.

.To the caller who asked why teachers need pay raises, I am a teacher (not in Amherst), and I don't think the caller understands the amount of work teachers do. Over the past nine years that I have been a teacher, I have not received even a $1,000 raise each year, which doesn't even cover the cost of gasoline. The caller questioned why the school needs counselors. Obviously, the caller is ignorant and has no idea the job counselors do. The counselor in my school does a wonderful job and we couldn't do our teaching job without counselors. Perhaps the Williamsville School District needs to look at the tax increase, but do not start throwing sticks at teachers and counselors, because we do way more than what we are paid for.

.I was horrified to read the comment from the parents who waited 16 years to take their son to the public library, and then only at the school's request. It's no wonder he was like a kid in the candy store. Instead of complaining about the fine for the DVDs that were two weeks late, the parents should feel embarrassed for not teaching their son about responsibility and for depriving others of the opportunity to borrow the DVDs.