I submitted this letter to City council in response to praise them after a long battle over public safety. I was tough on this issue after we negotiated these items in the planning stages of Bob White Landing and it took a few years be completed.

Dear Councilman Bennett, Mayor and fellow Council members:

I want to express my sincere appreciation for your persistence in working with the good folks of Glen Forrest neighborhood in getting this project completed. You have been the consummate public servant in making sure this project was not ignored or forgotten and fighting the good fight.

I will be proud to help you in your campaign and want others to know that we could not have a better representative in our local government.

I know I have been dogged and critical in my e-mails concerning this issue over the past year or so, and I do not want council to think I am just a town crier.

I certainly want to make sure council realizes I can also praise the city for a job well done! It was not easy but in dealing with government, nothing usually is. I also want to make sure I thank Mr. Neilson for his staff’s efforts in this endeavor.

This traffic light has made our daily commutes and comings and goings safer and easier for all. I think back to he days of negotiations with the developers of Bob White Landing, when our neighborhood was mostly concerned about the roadway safety.

Councilman Bennett brought our neighborhood folks to the table to discuss our concerns with the developers and their attorney. As novices to this process we did not trust the players, so we went directly to the council members and demanded their attention and got it.

We were able to get our “No Parking” signs on BWL and also finally the traffic light, therefore eliminating our initial safety concerns.

I remember meeting with Mayor Johnson, Councilman Milteer and Councilman Brown and others who are no longer on council. Most took the time to come visit our neighborhood and listen and evaluate our concerns first-hand.

This was NOT an easy process and took an enormous amount of energy, but it was worth it in the end. The Glen Forrest neighborhood is proud to know that we made a positive impact on our community in the name of public safety.

Please pass this communication on to all that are concerned. I want all citizens of Suffolk to know that if you get involved, stay involved and keep focused on the real issues and not the emotional ones, you can get things done, especially with a true public servant like Councilman Bennett in your corner.

Thank you and good luck in November.