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.

.On March 27, Forest Elementary School held its annual student talent show at South High School. The performance by the students was great, but shame on the man talking on his cell phone, the man playing on a handheld game, the women talking among themselves, and big shame on the mothers who permitted preschool children to run up and down the aisles hollering. Where are the manners and respect for the students and teachers during the performance? This is for your kids; let's make it a special performance night next year.

.I feel the town should fire the grant writer due to the fact that the town has been wasting money on services not being completed. Paying $38,000 in fees is ridiculous. Another company should be considered to handle the workload and actually obtain grant money for the town that is desperately needed.

.At the town board meeting on March 17, a Sweet Home high school senior spoke before the town board and said he was in favor of the proposed commercial development at the former shooting club site because his school district would receive $1 million in taxes. I wonder how he found this to be true. I wonder if he even knows it is true. I wonder if this senior has been taught that it's OK to repeat things that aren't true, as long as it sounds good. Hillary Clinton likes to do that a lot, until she gets caught by the media.

.I live in Dana Heights, and we have gas street lights. Since the last two heavy wind storms within the last two months, a lot of lights have gone out. I've called National Fuel who has come and repaired some of the lights, but not all of them. Who can fix these lights once and for all? There are probably a quarter of the gas street lights out in Dana Heights. Can anyone help?

.Amherst Supervisor Satish Mohan is now more than halfway through his first four-year term as supervisor. He is already talking about breaking his campaign promise and running for another term for supervisor, which is totally up to him. However, after two years on the job, Supervisor Mohan does not seem to be learning anything. In fact, it's readily apparent to any observer that he merely stumbles from one self-created crisis to another. With the way he treats employees and the way he handles union contracts, those things left pending turn into lawsuits and arbitration proceedings where the town loses its ability to negotiate. He receives a grade of D- on his mid-term report card.

.To the general manager of the Pepsi Center: you are blaming the filthiness at the Pepsi Center on we, the people, who pay approximately $500 for our sons and/or daughters to play there. He never mentioned that there are steps that are decaying that could post a serious injury. He is not taking responsibility. We expect a clean facility when we take our child to the Pepsi Center.

.I'm a lineman from Potsdam, N.Y. working and staying in a local motel. I love this area, as we were here during the mini ice storm in 2000 and the October 2006 snowstorm, but the drivers here are very impatient. I drive a CDL Class A truck and I am cut off by cars at least five times a day. We cannot stop these trucks on a dime, so I wish you would understand that before you cause an accident. If you are late for work, leave 10 minutes earlier. Nothing is so important that you need to get into an accident or cause one.

.Williamsville School District voters, why should taxpayers pay $250 per athlete or scholar for state competition? And that $250 is now added to the budget cost of $780,000 which we must pay. I urge all taxpayers to revolt and remove the 10 school principals and 10 assistant principals, along with all student counselors. Let's all revolt, and vote down the budget until it reaches a zero percent increase.

.When are Amherst Town Board members going to vote for what the voters want and not Benderson? The voters put these board members in office, not Benderson. What are each board member getting in return for their yes vote? We in the immediate area of the former shooting club site do not want any commercial building on this site. Residents only. We don't need any hotels, restaurants, theatres or stores. A theatre complex on Maple Road has already been torn down. I am sick and tired of board members voting for what they want, and not listening to the people. Let's bring back tar and feathers for politicians who do not do the bidding of the people.

.I am very upset with our Amherst Highway Department. I live in the Village Green area and the day of the big snowstorm several weeks ago the highway department removed a stump and left all the clippings. They still have not returned to clean up the mess.

.Why do Town of Amherst employees spend so much time and gas driving from one job site to another? Would a private business grind one tree stump on a street, skip the next four and return a month later to grind one more tree stump and leave again? Where do they drive to? Would a private contractor be so inefficient? Private business can't pay for 14 holidays a year, higher-than-median wages, health insurance, etc.