Letter: Opposition to Sea Ray parking lot makes no sense

Palm Coast Observer
Opinion

Dear Editor:

Reasonable expansion of a commercial operation, a parking lot and admin/office building. The residents in opposition represent an outspoken minority of unreasonable opinion/views.

If this were a new employer coming to Flagler County (by the way, your tax burden is employing people to bring new “clean” industry to Flagler), are we all on same page?

Or are we fighting a cause that is like locking the gates after all the cows, horses and chickens have left the yard?

Flagler needs industry, jobs and a growing commercial tax base to lower the overall tax burden on property owners. Are we all on board with this? Or are we wanting Flagler like it was 25 years ago? Progress versus homeostasis.

By the way, growth is coming to Flagler. The majority of people here want reasonable, intelligent and planned growth!

David Ferguson

Palm Coast

Twenty-five years of the Americans with Disabilities Act

Dear Editor:

On July 22, Stewart Marchman Act Behavioral Healthcare, along with other partners and sponsors within the community, was scheduled to participate in celebrating the 25th anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act. The ADA is one of America’s most comprehensive pieces of legislation protecting the rights of people with disabilities. The ADA provides the opportunity for individuals with disabilities to participate in the mainstream of American life.

At SMA, many of the individuals we provide services to are seeking employment opportunities. Because of the ADA, our Employment Services Program has been able to assist many in reaching their goals. The ADA has brought awareness of what individuals with disabilities can accomplish with the appropriate accommodations as well as changed the attitude of employers and general public to acceptance of individuals with disabilities.

Over the last 25 years, we have seen recognition by the employment community that they can have access to an additional pool of skilled workers, which results in all individuals having the opportunity to earn a wage and participate in their communities.

While the change in attitude and acceptance has improved, we are not yet finished. There are still many individuals with a desire to work and looking for those opportunities for employment continues to be a struggle. There remains a significant number of individuals unemployed; the unemployment rate for individuals with disabilities remains quite high at over 50%.

Our Employment Services Program staff, as well as other organizations, continues to work hard searching for those employment opportunities. As SMA’s Employment Services always says, ”America works best when ALL Americans work.”

Ivan Cosimi

CEO of Stewart-Marchman Act