Ignored on Monroe

Ignored on Monroe
Letter to the editor
Daily Press
May 18, 2007

Concerning William Hubbard's May 12 letter, "Monroe VA hospital," suggesting creating a medical facility at Fort Monroe. People with an interest in the disposition of Fort Monroe when the Army leaves should contact the governor's office at www.governor.virginia.gov and follow the instructions.

I suggested a similar plan to Hubbard's -- that is, a medical facility along with an educational park on at least a part of the grounds -- to the Hampton city manager's office some time ago. The silence was deafening.

The Hampton city government is not going to entertain any plan for the disposition of Fort Monroe that does not allow them to build condominiums on Fort Monroe's parade ground. Appeals to the Hampton city government's sense of history, community access or just plain economic sense get nowhere.

As evidence of the Hampton city government's intransigence, I cite the wreckage of both Buckroe and downtown Hampton. In both cases the city government went against the clearly stated wishes of the citizenry in order to obtain still more tax money for the city coffers.

I suggest very strongly that the same thing will happen to Fort Monroe. The Hampton city government's administrative staff does not exist to serve its citizenry, but to serve itself.

There is an election coming up next May in Hampton. I would suggest that the citizenry take a long, hard, look at the "accomplishments" of several of the incumbents.