To the Editor:  It’s hard to imagine that a state that repeatedly leads the nation in boating fatalities would not have boater safety as a high priority. But for Osceola County, the home of legendary lakes, not to have a ‘no-wake’ law is, well, the nicest word I can conjure up is, unacceptable.

It wasn’t always that way.  Back in May of 1994 the Alligator Lake Chain Homeowners Association, working with county staff, wrote and got the county commission to sign a very good ‘no-wake’ law.  This law was drafted to keep folks on our lakes from being killed by boaters racing through the canals and waterways, where vision is often restricted because of weed lined banks.  The problem now is that County Attorney Jo Thacker failed to keep up with state-level changes, and now the Osceola County law is no longer valid.

Not only is it no longer valid, but it hasn’t been for 5 years!

I’ve never been accused of being the brightest bulb in the package, but, between you and me, the more we look the more we might find.  This situation might be just the tip of the proverbial iceberg.  I’m really going out on a limb here, but I’m willing to guess that Jo Thacker “somehow” did not overlook her pay increases and benefit packages as well as other perks over the past 5 years.

Hello? Are we paying attention or has county staff made us too poor to pay attention?

Capt. Al Bernetti, President

Alligator Lake Chain Homeowners Association