The Times

Wednesday, July 7, 1976, page 5 (of 37)

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opinion

| editorials | commentary | letters

Safety last?

South Miami's City Council is about to fall into the pit that entraps its neighbor Coral Gables frequently, and it is a dangerous and short-sighted trap. It's the trap of seeing the city as an island, an isolated settlement, instead of recognizing its position in the center of Dade County's hubbub and traffic. A question that most clearly shows South Miami on the verge of falling in that trap emerged in recent City Council budget discussions. The city officals asked if it would save money to reduce the size of South Miami's highly respected police department. The Council, citing statistics that say South Miami has a police officer for every 342 residents in the face of a national average of an officer for every one thousand, wondered if it should consissider cutting the force. Chief Sal Vizzini sees the trap. He told the Council that 60,000 cars travel through South Miami on South Dixie Highway daily. With five to six men of the current 37-man force on duty at any given time, that's barely one man to 10,000 cars — and it doesn't include the residents or the traffic on Bird or Miller Roads. As it is now, two simultaneous traffic emergencies could tie up the entire on-duty police force — and the Council wonders about cutting that force. Granted that the Council should be prudent with taxpayers' money, but dismissing the trusted protection of the South Miami Police Department would be dismissing the safety and property of those taxpayers along with their dollars.

The pressure's on

General Waterworks has asked for a rate increase for their water and sewer service, services which have never lived up to the standards South Dade and Coral Gables residents deserves. The requested rate increases will be considered at a public hearing before the Dade County. Water and Sewer Board on Wednesday, July 14 at 10 a.m. in the South Miami City Hall. The hearing will be a worthwhile meeting for any General Waterworks customer to attend. Once there, the customer might testify to faulty water pressure and unresponsive service. And while General Waterworks sings its sad song about increased costs, consumers can look at substandard water service and sing back "cry me a river, I've cried a river over you." At least that's one way to get water.

the gables publishing company serving south dade and coral gables since 1926

camera comment

| Only Dr. Doolittle's Pushme-Pullyou (a beast with two heads facing in opposite directions) could be happy with this arrangement of signs looking south from South Dixie Highway and SW 80th Street. If you want 67th Avenue South, at least you've got a choice — just hop on your Pushme-Pullyou and see which head he follows. | Photos by ELIZABETH OWENS

reader response | Pools are open, now heat them

| Editor: After 20 years our educated leaders finally built pools in our area — three in all, now we must re-educate them to athe fact they should be kept open year 'round! That's right, they will be useless six months out of the year because a pool heater (installation cost approximately $5,000 to $6,000) has not been provided for any of these three structures. Thoughts must be given to the need for more leisure time activities and the immediate and future needs of today's citizens. For the fun loving, easy going person, swimming can be pleasurable and relaxing. For the energetic person, swimming can be challenging, endurance building and motivating, as it is an activity where the accomplishment of one skill leads to the learning of another. Swimming is one activity that can and should be completely co-educational. Boys and girls can participate freely in organized swimming lessons, programs, parties and recreational swimming. Why then cannot the fun and enjoyment of summer at the beach and the pool be brought to the school during the winter and the fall? It is here that our young Americans may grow socially more mature. All that is needed is a pool heater to operate "one" of the three pools year 'round. Today there are a tremendous number of boats, trailers, and campers on the road and no one can realize the large number of recreationally motivated activiites that occur on or near the water, especially in our area. More people go water-skiing boating and scuba diving than ever before. People are jamming the beaches and the picnic areas daily. Unless these people are educated to the hazards and safety measures concerning acquatic actitives, water accidents and deaths will continue to rise as has been the case in Dade County with our miles and miles of canals. The summer swimming instruction program is not enough and this program should be supplemented with a program year 'round. Complete prevention of drowning should be the goal of our community. Where can the whole family go in the evenings for fun and recreation? Families need to work and play together for more unity. Other than going to a movie or the zoo, swimming offers of a complete opportunity for total family involvement in a social activity. The swimming pool is a facility that can be put to more use by more people than any other recreational area of the same size. It is almost unbelieveable that an adult who lives in the Miami area is unable to swim, but we have hundreds of persons who are afraid of the water and do not know the very simple techniques of water-safety. Commissioners, how long before a heater is put in the pool or pools so we may use them year 'round! R. KUEHNEISEN 6360 SW 50th St.