The Orlando Sentinel from Orlando, Florida • Page 374

Opinion M2 The Orlando Sentinel, Sunday, November 7, 1993 sei Home-rule charter issues are questions worth debating 'urn The members of the Charter Review Commission are John Ariale, Scott Cahill, Larry Dale, Dario Gonzalez, Ken Hooper, John Howell, Harry Kwiatkowski, Madelaine Magnotti, Bernard McCarthy, Jerome McDonough, Randy Morris, Connie Overbay, Adrienne Perry, Fred Streetman and Ben Tucker. The commission can be reached by writing Charter Review Commission, co County Manager's Office, 1101 E. First Sanford 32771. The group's next meeting is at 4 p.m. Dec.

2 in Room 3000 of the County Services Building. Discussions taking place in Sanford over how Seminole County's I home-rule charter should be I changed could fall under the dull but important" category. Dull? Not always. Important? You bet y- It's easy for the average vot-; er to look at the process and at many of those sitting 0n the 15-member review com- mission and pronounce it a purely political matter and ask: I Why should I care? i 'J Here's why. Residents have a chance to get involved now in an I important, healthy debate over I how or whether the charter should be changed.

The public can have a say not only in who governs it, but how it is Should the county attorney answer to the County Commission or the county manager? How should the county be audited, by a comptroller or an outside auditor? Seminole set up its first charter in 1988. By law, the charter must be re-examined periodically. This is the first review. The review commission must have any recommended changes ready by next November to be put on the ballot At least one set of three public hearings will be no later than next June and July. There may be more conducted earlier.

The review commission also has set aside 10 minutes at the end of each meeting (they are public meetings but not public hearings) strictly for questions from residents. There are myriad arguments for and against each question raised here. And there are more questions to consider. The point is, it's time to speak up, to debate. It's a perfect opportunity for civic groups and others to get involved.

For example, a homeowners association could conduct a straw poll of the neighborhood. Results could be communicated to the commission members, who are listed here, so the panel could gauge public sentiment on each issue. Likely as not of course, there still will be some who will wonder aloud next November who was behind the roster of proposed charter amendments on the ballot. Don't let it be you. For example, should county elections, like municipal and School Board elections, be nonpartisan? Do party politics really matter at the local level, where the biggest concern is providing the best services to the public for the least amount of money? What about voting districts? Should county commissioners continue to be elected at-large, as they are now? Or would voters be better served by electing commissioners solely from single-member districts? What about a combination of five commissioners from single-member districts and two at-large? Or four from districts and three at-large? Another issue is whether constitutional officers should be appointed instead of elected.

And execute a certain set of duties; politics shouldn't be part of the picture. Other questions to consider: Is the $46,013 salary of county commissioners too high for a job that is supposed to be part time? Should their terms be limited? if they're appointed, by whom the County Commission or perhaps an appointing board? Why elect a sheriff if we don't elect police chiefs? Why leave it to voters to pick a tax collector, court clerk or property appraiser? Those jobs require skills to Indian fighter understood Seminoles' resistance A recent Seminole's Past series focused on William Selby Harney, whose military career blazed a trail through the county. Here's another historic perspective on the Seminole Indian fighter who suffered over the plight of the leader Osceola and other Florida Seminoles. By Jim Robison OF THE SENTINEL STAFF Don Boyett OUR COUNTY 11 1 HMS 8. SPECIAL TO THE SENTINEL Harney (above) persuaded Billy Bowlegs (top right) to leave Florida for the West, then saw to it he was paid for each member of his entourage.

Col. William Selby Harney never refused to carry out harsh orders, but Harney understood the underhanded lengths his superiors would go to rid Florida of the Seminoles. And he realized the Seminoles' sometimes violent resistance was justified. Harney was one of many professional soldiers and officers who carried out their duties but privately resented that they had not been able to do so without taking lives. His years in Florida had taught him how to fight the Seminoles on their own turf.

But he also witnessed mistreatment and the hardships endured by the Seminoles because of the devastation and starvation the Florida wars brought on Seminole villages. Harney once led a force of 90 soldiers in canoes on a surprise attack deep in the swamps. By killing Seminole chief Chekika and capturing many of his followers, Harney brought a swift military response to an Indian raid on a trading post that had killed 18 soldiers and settlers. It also prompted many Seminoles to surrender for resettlement in the West. The Army's capture of Osceola under a white flag of truce and his later death in prison made the influential Seminole leader a national hero and helped cast the soldiers in Florida as the aggressors in an unjust war fought for land-grabbing settlers and slave-grabbing planters.

Harney never relished his role. His attack on Chekika's camp, for example, would not have been necessary if Harney's superiors in Washington had not reneged on a peace treaty he negotiated to end the fighting. By rebuffing his angry protests, Army and government leaders unnecessarily prolonged the winless war. The Indian massacre came when Seminoles dis- a liar out of me again." He persuaded Chief Bolechs, better known as Billy Bowlegs to leave Florida for the West. Harney arranged for the government to pay Billy Bowlegs $6,500, plus $1,000 each for four of his subchiefs, $500 for warriors and $100 covered they'd been duped.

The attack and other successes proved that Harney was an able Indian fighter, but Florida historian Gene M. Burnett writes in Florida's Past that pockets of wilderness sanctuary. Later, when assigned to the Western frontier, Harney tried to keep traders, settlers and Indian agents from exploiting Indians forced to reservations, Burnett writes. In a letter to the Army command, Harney said, "It is not yet too late for us to requite, in some degree, this unfortunate race for their many sufferings, consequent to the domain of our people." In what Burnett called a "political connivance" Abe Lincoln would regret, Harney's military career ended on a sour note sounded by the outbreak of the Civil War. Harney clashed with abolitionists in Lincoln's administration and the military.

A rival used his Washington influence to remove Harney from his command and force his retirement. Lincoln, Burnett writes, later lamented losing Harney, calling it "one of the greatest mistakes of my Administration." Harney, who retired as a major general to live on the shores of Orlando's Lake Eola, continued until his death in 1889 to lobby for the rights of the remaining Seminoles of Florida. And in what seems a fitting footnote for a county that in the 1880s was on the brink of a railroad era, Billy Bowlegs' nephew, Cofeehatco, was renowned as a guide when wealthy hunt-ers, including railroad barons Henry Plant and Henry Flagler and city founder Henry Sanford, sought help to trap deer, bear and panthers. Jim Robison is Seminole County coordinator for The Orlando Sentinel. for each woman Flat-Earth thinking won't reduce crime "jn ushing to judgment is a plague of human nature.

Only in recent world history did the notion of a round world take root. There was good reason to believe the Earth was flat; one had only to look. i And so it is today in America, where crime is the No. 1 concern. At the moment, both Congress and the Florida Legislature are at work on new crime legislation.

But how much of the final bills will be designed more to please the flat-Earth believers? How much will be substantive? Some, including President Clinton, want to federalize more crimes. That pleases the flat-Earth people. Never mind that it will cost more; federalizing will strike a fear in the criminal's heart, they believe. I Another Clinton initiative is to give local police agencies money to hire more cops. Putting more cops on the streets, he says, will deter crime; and millions of flat-Earth devotees nod in agreement.

Never mind the mounting debt. "Stands to reason: Uniform presence scares off bad guys. But does it? I'ln 1972 the Kansas City, Police. Department, headed by Clarence Kelley, one of the most remarkable police chiefs in American history and, later, head of the FBI, did a yearlong experiment. It was run by the respected Police Foundation, using scientific standards; it was no off-the-wall experiment.

Selected beats were divided into three groups. In one, police went into the areas only when called. In another, patrols were at usual levels. In the third, patrols were two to three times normal strength. Surprise, flat-Earthers: There were no differences 'in crime among the three beat groups.

No differences in types of crimes, no increase in auto accidents or traffic violations, nothing different. So much for flat-Earth thinking. i. Does that mean there is no need for police, that numbers should be reduced? Not at all. In another Police Foundation study, this one a few years later in Newark, N.J., the purpose was to detect the effect of foot patrols.

What was found confirmed parts of the Kansas City study: Foot patrols did not bring the crime rate down; in fact, the rate may have increased. But, there was more. While crime rates did not decline, there was the perception that they did. People felt safer and went out more. Fear from a source we tend to overlook being bothered by panhandlers, drunks, prostitutes and the like was reduced.

The foot patrols elevated the level of public order in the neighborhoods. And that is important. What these studies show is that there is more to resolving problems than statistics. 7 That's why community policing is a notion of growing popularity, including here in Seminole. Yes, you have to have the cops out there, perhaps even a few more of them; but most important is how they are used.

Unfortunately, the legislators seem more in tune with the old flat-Earth thinking. Harney also proved to be a friend of the Seminoles. Burnett said the Seminoles, who called Harney was respected for his fairness. In the mid-18503, when brief skirmishes resumed between Florida troops and and child. He also received $2,500 for cattle he said had been stolen from him.

He left Florida for the Western territory on May 7, 1858, on the steamer Grey Cloud with warriors and 85 women and children. Of course, not all the Seminoles left Seminole's past WILLIAM SELBY HARNEY Seminoles, the Army asked Harney to negotiate. He relented, he later wrote, only after he was assured "Washington won't make Florida. Relatives of Billy Bowlegs, who died of smallpox in the winter of 1863-64, retreated to the Everglades and other scattered Bickering, bureaucracy damaging youth soccer AS A parent with a son very active in Seminole Soccer Club, I find recent events to be very disturbing. Because of bureaucracy, our team is running the risk of not getting in enough games to be eligible for State Cup and meet Florida Youth Soccer Association rules.

I believe this is a result of the recent conflicts between Seminole Soccer and the FYSA An away game recently with the Orlando United Cup was canceled less than two hours before game time (after most of us had already left home) because the Orlando Club had not scheduled officials for our game. The person responsible maintains he had not received an "official" schedule from the league, although he did have "verbal" notification. An FYSA official was also consulted at the field and was distinctly unsupportive. As a parent, my main concern is that bickering between political factions is affecting the children. Is this how we teach them sportsmanship? There must be a fair means to resolve these political issues without impairing what should be the ultimate goal: to allow the children to play soccer.

Cheryl Williamson LONGWOOD Love of recycling has left some blind to costs to be able to reach out and help. Bereaved parents who responded will find support and caring through the Compassionate Friends. Without the story, they might not have known about the group and may have had to go through this tragedy of their lives alone. Sandi Heath Chapter leader The Compassionate Friends ORLANDO Principal busy enough without another job I'M DISGUSTED at the appointment of Carlton Henley as a Seminole County commissioner with an annual salary of $46,000, on top of his $75,800 annual salary as Lyman High School principal. In this day and age of turmoil and violence in our high schools, how can this appointment be justified? Surely his position as principal of Lyman would require his full-time attention to the school, and leave no time for any absences.

There are so many qualified people out of work right now people with a great deal of knowledge who would be glad to hold such a position for one salary of $46,000 per year, and who would be able to devote their full attention to Seminole County and the business at hand. I weep for you, Mr. Henley, at the loss of some of your combined $121,800 salary. It's the age-old adage "much gets but in this case, more is too much. The Orlando Sentinel USA F.

LOCHRIDGE, County Editor JIM ROBISON, County Coordinator methods used to accomplish its goals. The latest of these is recycling. The politicians and bureaucrats have embraced this idea regardless of cost or fairness to the public. Three years ago, the Seminole County Commission issued an ugly green recycling container to each residence and began charging each homeowner $2 per month. This became mandatory if one wished to have garbage collected.

This scheme, however well-meant, costs the Seminole County residents about $750,000 a year. The recycling centers were to pay the county for the items received. It's hardly been profitable for the taxpayers. Because of the failure of Seminole to reach a 50 percent recycling rate on items such as glass and plastic, andor a 30 percent level in reduction of input to the landfill, a 1-cent fee is charged on food containers at the cash register in the grocery store. This amounts to an underhanded tax on food.

For those righteous readers who believe that this writer is not a recycler, guess again. Robert N. Daves WINTER SPRINGS Story made community aware of support group ON BEHALF of the Compassionate Friends Orlando Chapter, we would like to thank The Orlando Sentinel for the excellent coverage given to our group. On Oct. 17 the Compassionate Friends, a support group for bereaved parents, dedicated a bench in the new park in Maitland.

Because of the story, we received calls from 17 people asking about our group. This is what we need EDITORIAL OFFICES CASSELBERRY 4580 S. U.S. Hwy. 17-92, 32707; 830-2450 SANFORD 541 N.

Palmetto Suite 105, 32771; 322-3513 CARALYN BESS, Advertising Manager ADVERTISING OFFICES 4580 S. U.S. Hwy. 17-92, Casselberry, 830-2400 CLASSIFIED-WANT ADS 1-800-669-5757 EVERY NOW and then an activity or philosophy arises which permits no criticism of the idea or CIRCULATION South Seminole, 420-5353 Sanford, 1-800-359-5353 1 Freda Kelly WINTER PARK i.