This letter concerns community apathy. My letter in last week's Gazette discussed issues of concern regarding the first 18 months of the tenure of Mount Vernon Supervisor Dan Storck. I would be more than mildly surprised if Supervisor Storck or his staff submits a rebuttal. After all, it is clear the Storck playbook provides that letters to the Gazette critical of their actions or inactions are to be ignored in print. Community apathy will take care of everything. Concerns ignored will just go away. That is why, to date, I have heard nothing from Supervisor Storck's office, either directly or publicly, regarding serious concerns I recently raised regarding an inappropriately located flashing school speed limit sign on Parkers Lane and a mosquito breeding ground in Stratford Park adjacent Stratford Elementary School. No problem here — just move on.
Community apathy is the reason why a local umbrella civic organization representing only 41 of the over 225 community organizations in the Mount Vernon District wields such an inordinate amount of power to influence Supervisor Storck. An organization whose bylaws give equal voting power to communities of 10 and 800 homes is fatally flawed cannot possibly enjoy any credibility whatsoever to influence community decisions. Yet our supervisor has pledged fealty to this organization. I would wager a scientific survey conducted by the Gazette would reveal that fewer than 10 percent of Mount Vernon residents even know what the acronym MVCCA represents or about its community role.
In reaction to last week's letter, numerous local residents praised me for the letter and confirmed that my impression of the first 18 months of Supervisor Storck's tenure is accurate. However, when I asked them to submit letters to the Gazette confirming my impression, the typical response was that they can't do so because they have business before the county and are worried that criticizing the Mount Vernon supervisor could jeopardize approval of their projects. Community apathy at its worst. Hopefully, others have submitted letters to this week's Gazette in support of my impressions. Hope springs eternal.
My late mother taught me that speaking truth to power benefits the community as a whole. In her spirit, I will continue to bring issues to the attention of the community that I believe are important for the community to know, with the hope that community apathy will recede in favor of broader community activism.
H. Jay Spiegel
Mount Vernon