Letters to the editor: Feeling divided over split fire department

To the editor:

I am so sad to think that the city of Stamford is proposing to create a second, separate paid fire department. First of all, in my opinion it takes a special person to perform the duties of a firefighter. Hours of training, physical agility, education, test scores are only a part of a true firefighter's commitment to his job.

Stamford is no longer the small town that it was many years ago. There are huge, million-dollar homes, office buildings, etc. I would think that anyone living in Stamford would want to feel secure knowing that their homes and families are protected by men who are trained daily in this field of firefighting. All paid firefighters are a brotherhood -- they help not only one another but anyone in need.

Each full-time paid firehouse has a crew of four men per machine and someone is manning the phones at all times. Would this happen with the volunteers? Where will the money come from to supply the four volunteer firehouses with new trucks? The new 61 men will need benefits and a salary. I feel the taxes in Stamford are high enough. People are leaving Stamford because they can't afford it. What will this do to us?

My husband and nephew are both proud paid firefighters. They are dedicated to their jobs.

Joyce Pinto

Stamford

Charting a better route

To the editor,

I am writing regarding the High Ridge bus (No. 31) which goes to the Stamford Museum & Nature Center except on Sundays. During Monday through Saturday, there are usually two buses an hour to the SMNC. The SMNC admits bus riders for free and the walk through to Bartlett Arboretum & Gardens takes about 20-25 minutes. Walking along Brookdale in either direction is faster but dangerous due to a number of blind curves and a narrow shoulder area. The Brookdale walk in either direction is 10-15 minutes but I would not risk it with a child. The walk-through is a rough trail not suitable for young children or those with walking difficulties but these people can at least enjoy the SMNC's facilities, including the ADA-accessible "Wheels in the Woods" path; the farm area and playgrounds are mostly ADA-accessible and child-friendly as is the museum itself (via the back door).

There is no bus service beyond the Merritt Parkway on Sundays. It is a 15- 25-minute walk from the Merritt Parkway to the SMNC. The walk is very dangerous because the bus stops just short of the Merritt Parkway (at Buxton Farms) and there is no pedestrian passage/shoulder under the Merritt -- you have to walk in the lane of traffic with your back to traffic.

Accordingly on Sundays, the trip to the SMNC is only for hardy adults and even they may be deterred by the idea of a 30-45 minute walk before arriving at BAG, particularly when they know that it will be another 30- 45-minute walk back, and they might end up having to cross under the Merritt after dark. This affects Stamford residents (the elderly, the poor, the conservation minded, the Orthodox who don't ride on the Saturday Sabbath) as well as those who take the train to Stamford to visit our wonderful nature centers.

To extend the 31 on Sundays from Buxton Farms to the SMNC would add less than 10 minutes to the bus route (three minutes up, 2-3 minutes to turn around and pick up passengers, three minutes back to Buxton Farms).

A a volunteer at both the Stamford Museum & Nature Center and the Bartlett Arboretum I would like to see as many people as possible take advantage of the wealth of experiences these organizations offer the public.

Thank you for considering this proposal.

Alison Wachstein

Weston

Rell's legacy

To the editor:

As this legislative term nears an end, and Gov. M. Jodi Rell prepares to leave the Governor's Mansion, I want to take this opportunity to thank our Connecticut leaders for making Connecticut No. 1 -- in per capita debt!

Way to go!

While we ordinary residents of Connecticut go to work each day and dutifully pay our taxes, our state political leaders have either ignored their fiduciary responsibilities or have simply pushed the tough decisions onto future generations.

Colin McKenna

Wilton