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.

.To the parent of the new library user who is surprised that libraries have different due dates for books and DVDs, I don't know what is sadder - that he did not go to the library until he was 16, or instead of learning from your mistake about due dates that you are choosing to avoid libraries again. This is not the library's fault. Please remember to be respectful of all the fantastic services our libraries o ff e r.

.Two recent comments attest to the fact that parents often blame anyone but their own children, and thus are causing the increase of irresponsible young people. One comment correctly scolded parents who themselves and their children are contributing to the filth in the locker rooms and public areas of the Amherst Pepsi Center. These parents instead choose to blame the center's personnel. A second parent won't return to the Clearfield Library, because she had to pay a stiff penalty for three DVDs returned one week late. It was her son who incorrectly told her that both his books and DVDs were due in four weeks, not the fault of the library staff. Teaching good citizenship and responsibility is a mandate of responsible parenting.

.Regarding building a new town hall, please put a third floor on the present town hall; plans are there for this. Let's save money and also reduce taxes and government. I've been a longtime resident of Williamsville, and you are trying to destroy it.

.I read the article about the Williamsville School tax increase. It's time people banded together and demanded a consolidation of all the school districts in Amherst and Williamsville into one with one superintendent. We need someone to stand up for taxpayers. Why not downsize a bit? Quality counts, not quantity. Give taxpayers a break. You're forcing me to sell my house in the village and move, because I cannot afford all these increases. We need a consolidation of the school boards.

.Well, I've heard everything now - Satish Mohan a Democrat. What will poor Shelley Schratz do? Well, I'm a Democratic Committeeman, and you are not welcome, Mr. Supervisor.

.I don't think the caller who recommended replacing the school superintendent every four years understands the cost and time involved to do a search, find qualified candidates, interview and then move them here. It's not logical to do that. To the person who doesn't have kids in the system, I'm sorry but those kids are the ones paying your Social Security some day because they had a good education to get them into college to get a good job. Part of living in the area is the high cost of school due to the amount of money the school puts into each student.

.I would like to comment on Satish Mohan changing his party affiliation. It is wrong in midstream to change; stay with the party that elected you. For someone who claimed not be a politician, he certainly has turned into one.

.I think to save money from the Williamsville School taxes due to the increase, they could do away with the police officers working after school at taxpayer expense. Perhaps they could have some hall monitors stay after school if needed.

.As a lifelong Democrat and 25-year Amherst resident, I do not for one minute believe that Satish Mohan does not have a hidden agenda. I would never, ever vote for this man in this party or any other party.

.Mohan was voted in Republican, and he should stay Republican. This is absurd.

.Amherst Supervisor Satish Mohan's switch to the Democratic Party illustrates that Mohan does not understand much about town government. It is not his party affiliation that counts but his ability to understand how government works and understand how to work with people and treat them with respect that is what will go into making a successful run as supervisor. Mohan is still blaming others for his failures. It is unrealistic for Mohan to expect to be able to implement his campaign promises when all of his numbers and dollar figures were merely pulled out of the air. Mohan does not do his homework, doesn't understand government and he shoots from the hip. His move to the Democratic Party will only hurt his chances to ever get anything done.

.I agree that the town board should be downsized by two members for a savings of $50,000. In fact, these board members are only part-time workers, and their salaries should be cut to $10,000 with no benefits. This should be put on a referendum for the November election.

.The lady who had to pay $42 in fines to Clearfield Library because her 16-year-old got the return date wrong has missed a golden opportunity to teach her child about responsibility and checking things carefully. Instead, she blames the library, even though the library did nothing wrong. She could have checked the due date herself, but chose not to. My child would have been told it was his mistake and he owes $42. It seems neither the mother nor the child learned anything from this experience.

.There is an accident waiting to happen on Cranburne Lane near Sheridan. The car lot under construction parks all their employee vehicles on Cranburne Lane, forcing traffic to back up all the way to Sedgemore. This is ridiculous. The Amherst Police need to post some no parking signs.

.What does Satish Mohan want to be when he grows up? First, he wants to be a Republican but then he's not sure. Now, he wants to be a Democrat but he wants to keep his conservative Republican values. But he's against unions, so how can he be a Democrat? Hmm, does Mohan really know what he wants to do? It seems he continues to blame his failures in office on anybody but himself. Now, if he goes to the Democratic Party, he can blame his failures on them. Interesting. Satish, it's time to start working with people and quit worrying about your image or whether the news is contacting you enough.

.I am a 365-day walker, no matter the weather. I don't understand why people pay to have their driveway plowed but don't have the price included to do the walks as well. I walk my dog but half the time I have to walk in the street. Please consider the mail carrier as well as news people who must trudge through unshoveled walks to reach your door.

.What a flawed character. Even in his columns in The Bee, Satish Mohan has to blame everyone else for his shortcomings and his failures as a leader. Leadership is an art form.

.I am an 86-year-old widow living on Maple Road. I just got a very unfair fine for not shoveling my walk. The fact is that I pay $25 to keep my walk shoveled, which I have always done. Within three hours of shoveling, it is filled with debris, ice and snow again when it hasn't even snowed. The inspector must have come at a bad time. It is impossible to keep this walk shoveled when the walk is so close to the road. Even after the walk is shoveled, many people walk in the road.

.We Republicans elected Mohan because of promises to lead Amherst to new heights, lower taxes, provide better service and unite Amherst residents. He has done absolutely nothing. Now he jumps to the Democratic side, with the belief he can do more.