To the Editors:
Look around you ˜
Where have your neighbors gone?
Do you know who your neighbors are?
Do you even have "neighbors" anymore?
Look around you ˜
Do you like the home you have and the ways in which it has become part of "you", love your yard and your garden, your "neighborhood"? and your community? proud of it?
Look around you
and be aware:
There are currently plus or minus twenty vacation rentals in the historic district of Peninsula…
Many of these are purchased and owned by LLC`s and investors who do not live in our community.
Do they send their kids to our schools or take them to story hour hoping one day they might be "pages" at their own unique town library, do you walk together with them, share baked goods and recipes? Rake or plow for them?
Do they pay income tax to our village and support our Valley Fire and Rescue team, pancake breakfasts, our schools. Do they pay resident, "senior" or business property taxes?…
Long ago a local friend commented on how a community feels when there is a funeral: "who amongst us is missing" she said…
Ask yourself now who amongst us is gone / what families… and who has gone missing in a new way?
Is it our community?
No reason we can`t have a few vacation rentals, in particular owned and hosted on site by local residents who were born here, lived here long term, raised families here, work here …
Development is coming with water and sewer but we can still be part of a community of people; don`t let it slip away because it`s not yet happening next door to you….
Let your thoughts be known to your representatives
(adm@villageofpeninsula-oh.gov )
Many thanks to our village governing bodies who have come on board with addressing this issue!
| Lois Unger |