Letters To The Editor

Officials lack vision for county’s future To the editor: I am disheartened by Oldham County officials’ lack of vision when it comes to the county’s future.  At a time when people in ever-increasing numbers are seeking out locally grown foods and a slower pace of life – attributes which still abound in Oldham County – our leadership is focused on stale planning models that are out of sync with current trends. Rather than seizing the momentum and creatively developing our county’s rich agricultural base, elected officials, county employees and contractors hired by the county have chosen the narrowest possible view of future growth, focusing exclusively on residential developments at the expense of Oldham’s agricultural land. The most recent example occurred at the April 21 meeting of the Study and Review Committee to discuss the Oldham County Road Classification and Proposed Future Roads document.  This was a “special meeting,” called because so many residents had voiced their displeasure over the proposed roads, which run through large tracts of farmland that the study deemed ripe for future residential development. Despite the well-articulated objections of many landowners and residents, the committee voted to send the proposal on to the Planning and Zoning Commission with only minor modifications that in no way address residents’ objections. If appropriately encouraged, we could grow our already vibrant agricultural base – organic and conventional crop farming; grass-fed and conventionally raised beef, bison, sheep and poultry; and of course, horses – to become a model for other communities caught in the push-pull of growth pressures. Instead, our county leaders are focusing on where to locate roads when pristine farmland is “developed” with hundreds of houses.   That’s the only kind of development our elected officials can fathom.  Anything else takes too much imagination.   Connie Dorval Goshen In praise of model dementia care To the editor: During the more than 20 years that I have cared for my mother, grandmother, and grandfather with Alzheimer’s, I have been an advocate for improving the quality of nursing home care for residents with dementia.   Too often, I hear of families who struggle to find a facility with staff that understands how to communicate with residents with cognitive impairment, can calm someone when they become agitated and can tend to the unique needs of persons with dementia. This is why I am so pleased that Friendship Manor, where my grandmother now resides, has taken the initiative to provide necessary dementia care staff training and has made the facility dementia-friendly. They have created an area with a true home feel where residents can find comfortable surroundings. I credit the Administrator, Leslie Butterfield and Activity Director, Becky Dunaway, for trying approaches such as this to keep from having to send residents out due to challenging behaviors – and it is working. It is encouraging to me to see that taking a person-centered approach results in better care, particularly for residents with       dementia.   I hope that more facilities seek out training and make similar efforts, as the number of people needing specialized dementia care will be increasing dramatically in the coming years.  A good resource for professional training is the Alzheimer’s Association in this area. I am grateful that my grandmother has found a home at Friendship Manor. Cheryl Sipes Simpsonville   Voegele is financially prudent To the editor: In response to Judge Murner’s letter in the April 29 edition of The Oldham Era, we are between $18-24 million in the hole and only Magistrate David Voegele is talking about it. In the past eight years the fiscal court spent the previous Judge Black’s $6 million surplus plus borrowed more.  Therefore, I am strongly recommending David Voegele for county judge-executive as he is financially prudent — $14,000 weekly interest the county is paying needs looking at pretty hard.   Voegele is better qualified... He has outstanding qualities among which is financial leadership to lead Oldham County.  This is a very important qualification which he has. He has experience in many ways in dealing with the public and will keep the people informed of all the issues.   We need a person like Voegele who will be able to bring the county together and make us all proud to live and raise our families in this community.    Please vote for David Voegele as he is the best qualified to lead us through these tough times. He is a proven leader and has demonstrated to be a financial and responsible person. Vote Voegele.             Bob Wilson La Grange