Received 20 November 2008
Posted: 28 January 2009
.... OPEN LETTER TO uPPER cAPTIVA ROAD COMMISSION:
GENTLEMEN! ... I OWN A DOZEN LOTS ON UPPER CAPTIVA
AND HAVE SPENT TENS OF THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS
CLEARING THE EXOTICS FROM THESE LOTS ... WHICH
HAS ENORMOUSLY AIDED YOUR EFFORTS TO KEEP THE
ADJACENT ROADWAYS WIDE OPEN ... AND HAS GREATLY
REDUCED THE AMOUNT OF "TRIMMING"... AND "FERN BURN"
NEEDED.
i ALSO CLEARED AND GRADED ... AND MAINTAINED THE
40FT. WIDE "PIECES OF EIGHT" FOR 25 YEARS YEARS
WITHOUT ANY ASSISTANCE FROM OTHERS ... IT HAS
OFTEN BEEN USED FOR PRACTICE SESSIONS BY OUR
FIRE DEPARTMENT BECAUSE OF ITS EXCEPTIONAL
OPENNESS!!
tHE WORK THAT THE ROAD COMMISSION HAS DONE IN
RESTORING OUR ROADS ... AND MAINTAINING THEM IN
REMARKABLE CONDITION IS TRULY COMMENDABLE
AND EXEMPLARY ... THE ENTIRE ISLAND IS A FAR
MORE ENJOYABLE PLACE BECAUSE OF YOUR
EFFORTS.
HAVING SAID THIS, I WOULD LIKE TO SAY ALSO THAT
THE WORK THAT I HAVE DONE IN CLEARING AND
oPENING UP THE ISLAND IS PROBABLY MORE THAN
ANY OTHER SINGLE RESIDENT of the island has
accomplished. very few have created
virtual "parks" out of their vacant lots
as i have done! my considerable work has
greatly reduced the total island fire
hazard ... and has eradicated massive and
impenetrable "jungles" of "brazilian pepper"
trees and other "exotics"!
People have become accustomed to seeing my
open "parks" ... forgetting how dense and over-
grown they once were!!!
in your letter you make mention of "roadways
damaged by heavier construction equipmenT" ...
AND "IMPROVING THE ABILITY OF (RENTERS) TO
TRANSIT"! ... THIS GAVE RISE TO THE FOLLOWING
PARAGRAPH ! :
i would like to see the "contractors" and the
"rental managers"...(those who cause the greatest
damage to our roads...and who receive the
greatest benefit from our roads) ... provide a
lion's share of the expenses!!! when their
contributions match my own... i will be
very impressed!!
if all island residences and lot owners had
done as much as i ...to improve their properties...
the need for "fern burns" and "trimming" would
be minimal ... and the island would be a
far more beautiful place!!
.................sincerely ................gordon biggar
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