Cumberland — Distortions and half truths are easy to produce by anyone who wishes to do so. This is amplified in Mr. Runion’s letter to the editor on Feb. 24 (“Mistakes are easily recognized by those who know the facts”).
There are many facts that people should be made aware of regarding the contract bid on the Greenway Avenue Stadium.
Fact 1. The Board of Education rejected Roy C. Kline Contractors bid because of inconsistencies in the bid.
Fact 2. The Callas bid was $3,234,000.
Fact 3. Carl Belt’s bid was $3,260,000, a difference of $34,000.
Fact 4. Maryland has over 1,800 members in Local 37 Operating Engineers. These members live from Garrett County to the ocean on Maryland’s shore.
Fact 5. The civil trades, consisting of operating engineers, laborers, iron workers, carpenters and teamsters, donated $100,000 to the stadium project.
Fact 6. $600,000 in wages would have been paid to local men and women within the community. Now, this money will be heading to other communities, cities and towns.
Fact 7. Unemployment rates in Cumberland are at 8.9 percent. Unemployment in rates in Allegany County are at 9.8 percent. Maryland’s unemployment rate is at 7.5 percent.
I could go on for a while longer and give Mr. Runion more facts and figures, but as he stated, “He chooses to believe his own (facts).”
Mr. Appel and Mr. Belt work in the community and support it in different ways. Mr. Appel, the local representative of local 37, is trying to provide jobs for the men and women, who work and live in Allegany County and the surrounding communities. Mr. Belt, a local contractor, provides work for men and women in our community and surrounding areas.
These men with their support and labor support from members of Local 37 voluntarily worked at the stadium when the turf was laid down. They also constructed the wheelchair ramp at the stadium on their own time. Additionally, Mr. Appel coordinated the work on the football field at the former Beall High. Don’t forget the Housing Project at the Career Center.
Mr. Runion resides at a post office box at the post office in Cumberland. I wonder “”how he fits.” My point being, he does not physically live in the state of Maryland. He lives with our neighbors across the river.
He does have the right to his opinion, but not the right to fabricate or distort the truth or leave out the complete story. Mr. Runion has been battling with Local 37 over three years on various issues. Anybody, who thinks these are not the facts, they are quite easy to verify.
Were Mr. Appel and Mr. Belt disappointed when we lost the opportunity to employ more people in Allegany County? Mr. Appel naturally spoke out when questioned by the news reporter in an attempt to preserve opportunities for men and women in our community.
So, in closing, I am sure that we have not heard the last from Mr. Runion. But, hopefully, in the end the winners will be the people in our community.
Ronald W. Lewis
Cumberland
Letters
People should know facts on stadium issue
- Letters
-
-
Other reports say to beware of fracking
Scott Cline writes that fears being voiced in the Times-News about hydraulic fracturing are long on fiction and short on facts, then proceeds to explain why fracking is so safe (“Unfounded fears about shale gas obscure facts,” Jan. 25 Times-News.
-
You’ll have to be rich to breathe Md. air if they begin taxing it
Let me see Marylanders, can you think of any more ways our elected officials can raise taxes in Maryland?First there was the flush tax to save the Chesapeake. Then there was sales tax raised from 5 cents to 6 cents on the dollar. Then we had toll fees at the Bay Bridge go up. Then we had car registration fees increase, along with vehicle tag prices increase.
-
Spending on non-academic projects causing the problem
Mr. Long’s poignant comments regarding school closings were good (“Is not a school more than just a school?,” Feb. 1 Times-News), however, he missed the sole reason for the closings — that the Garrett county Commissioners and their leader are too committed to adventure sports and relative extravagant non-academic ventures.
-
Garrett has better uses for taxpayers’ money
At a time when Garrett County schools are threatened with closure, the Adventure Sports Center International’s (ASCI) executive director mounts a public relations campaign requesting $3 million more from the commissioners. (“On eliminating ASCI’s $3M debt: Exec. speaks out,” Jan. 20 times-News, Page 1A)
-
Here’s what befell those who could have solved the problems
Something to consider:
Why are schools being closed?
Why has the housing market become so volatile?
Who is the person destined to cure cancer?
Why is Social Security on the brink of disaster?
Where is your doctor from? Don’t we have enough doctors graduating stateside?
And where is the cure for the common cold? Not enough tax revenue for fed and state and local governments is a real problem.
One very good answer is that these students, house buyers, medical researchers and inventors were never born. -
These ideas might resolve smoke detectors’ shortcomings
From what I have read/heard about the recent fires in the area, in at least a couple of cases smoke detectors were found in the ruins but were disconnected or had no battery.
-
Your votes can help raise funds for a new county animal shelter
Please help the Allegany County Animal Shelter by voting for it at the Shelter Challenge being sponsored by The Animal Rescue Site.
Several months ago we were able to win $1,000 (towards a new shelter) by being the No. 1 vote-getter in the state of Maryland. With your help we can do this again and possibly win more. -
Keeping streams, waterways clean will help bay
The Times-News reported in December on Maryland’s efforts to reduce pollution in the Chesapeake Bay and how Allegany County did its part by submitting a local plan to the Maryland Department of the Environment (“State’s bay cleanup plan to EPA concerns clean water advocates,” Dec. 20, Page 1A).
-
$3 million would be better spent on schools, not ASCI
I am a local Garrett County resident, pay taxes and am a voter. I am very concerned about the finances of Garrett County Commissioners budget and the Garrett County Board of Education’s budget.
-
County commissioners may be endorsing hasty, nasty outcome
These comments respond to your reader, Scott Cline, PhD “petroleum engineering” of Stanley, N.Y. (“Unfounded fears about shale gas obscure facts,” Jan. 25 Times-News).
- More Letters Headlines
-
Other reports say to beware of fracking
