That airport building

The letter by Don Smith [Letters, April 30] mischaracterized Mr. Mulroy’s and Mr. McNeill’s intent regarding the expenditures on the new Denton airport terminal building.

Everyone on the airport advisory board and the City Council believed a new terminal was needed at the airport. However, Mulroy, McNeill and at least two of the advisory board members believed the architectural design of the new building would cause the new terminal to be too costly.

This minority opinion was disregarded and the new terminal ended up costing us over $300 per square foot, not counting the cost of the land.

The residents of Denton must wake up to the fact that we are overspending on many of our capital needs. Ask someone in the building trade if over $300 per square foot is normal for a one-story office building, which is a valid description of our new terminal.

I believe about one-half of this cost would have been normal for an impressive office building in Denton.

Mulroy and McNeill tried to save wasted dollars for us when they questioned the design proposal on our new terminal. Their concerns were overridden and the architectural design went virtually unchanged from the costly design first presented.

We need to retain City Council members who have independent thought and will try and save money for the citizens of Denton. I am voting for Mulroy and McNeill.

Charles Brown,

Denton

For Kamp, Mulroy

I am writing in support of Pete Kamp and Joe Mulroy for positions on the Denton City Council in the upcoming election.

I have known both of these outstanding members who now serve through my church and UNT.

My interest in politics was inherited to a great extent, as my maternal great-great-grandfather was Thomas Jefferson Rusk, who served as one of the first two U.S. senators from Texas.

Please vote for sound, fair and quality members when you cast your vote. You cannot go wrong with both Ms. Kamp and Mr. Joe Mulroy. They have proved they have the needed intellect and good common sense. I do especially call to attention their votes on the Fry Street development, which exemplify these qualities.

John R. Huff Jr.,

Denton

Blaming the victim

Regarding the story, “Boyfriend makes bail, exacts revenge on apartment” [Page 1A, April 22], Donna Fielder reports that a victim of a violent crime had her boyfriend arrested.

I would like to inform Ms. Fielder that crime victims do not have anyone arrested; they report the crime and the police decide what action to take against the perpetrator. To report otherwise is to blame the victim for the perpetrators arrest.

In this case, the batterer beat the victim, requiring eight stitches in the head. In my book, the batterer was responsible for his arrest, not the victim.

Mark Sandel,

Denton

Danger on Elm Fork

I’m pretty sure we older Denton County residents recall the numerous drownings in Elm Fork of the Trinity River in bygone days when thunderstorms suddenly raised this creek out of its banks.

With the construction of Ray Roberts Lake Dam on Elm Fork, high, fast water can occur any time the gates are open, no sudden rain required. And just after the gates are closed, the residue left on the banks is a thin coating of the slickest mud I’ve ever encountered. If you step in it, you’re in the water.

Recently, while on the river at the Highway 380 bridge, I saw some children, ages 4 and up, playing near the banks, which consist of about 4 nearly vertical feet of that aforementioned mud.

One too many steps and they are in the water. These children wore no life preservers and even though parents were nearby, there would be virtually no way to get to a child in the water in time, due to the swift current taking them downstream.

Its isn’t the county’s or the corps’ responsibility for the children’s safety, it is the parents’, of course, but they may not have an appreciation of just how close to danger the kids are. I hope this letter raises that appreciation.

Dale Gleason,

Valley View

A sham debate

In the so-called “debate” on television April 16, there were a few sugar-coated barbs, but no real statement about what a larger and larger “government of the people, by the government, for the government” (note the absence of the prelude, “under God”) was going to do “for the people,” and not a word about what it has been doing to “the people” since “the Great God Roosevelt.”

“Perks” and “pork,” as well as the removal of God from this country, are the agenda of those who have made a career out of public office, such as the “Hero of Chappaquiddick,” who issued the edict, “If you don’t believe in same-sex marriage, you are a bigot.”

If it had truly been a debate, Sen. Obama would have asked Sen. Clinton: “What about your statement March 31 on the Ellen DeGeneres TV show in which you said you will do everything you can on behalf of same-sex couples?” Or are his views the same?

We who profess Jesus Christ as Lord and savior have to do battle to overcome Satan in his drive to sell evil as good so this nation will restore the principle of “under God, government of the people, by the people, for the people.” God bless America!

Alvin H. Roeder,

Denton

A plot against Romney

All of you guys who believe in a coincidence please hold up your right hand. As we know, a coincidence is an accidental occurrence. Did you ever think when you have a collision in your car it was no accident? There was an infraction of the law that caused the collision. It was no accident.

Do you believe the fake call that led to 416 children being taken away from their parents in the church in West Texas was a coincidence?

Mitt Romney was being considered at that time as the vice presidential nominee for John McCain — an unbeatable ticket for president and vice president of the United States.

Texas Child Protective Services knew about the situation in the church for over four years and hadn’t done a thing about it. If the alleged situation about the 15 or 16 young girls being pregnant is true, the TCPS may be guilty of being an accessory.

May our God in heaven bless all the people in the church, as they are all victims.

Tillman E. Uland,

Denton