To the Editor:

Editors Note: Following is a letter submitted to the Polk County Board of Commissioners by Brenda Brock following the countys public hearing on Nov. 16 regarding written permission for hunting.

It is with great disappointment that I write this letter. Sadly, the action (or perhaps inaction) you took at last nights (Nov. 16) meeting reveals that you:

a) do not understand the issue and/or

b) are unwilling to make the right decision for the majority of the county. &bsp;

It is unconscionable that you would even consider asking a landowner to pay a fee, fill out the three page form, purchase the appropriate number of registered land signs, fill each one out and then proceed with the arduous task of nailing them to trees and fence posts on ones properties. &bsp;

You expect over 12,000 taxpaying landowners in Polk County to perform this task if they want to control hunting on their property. Yet you think it is too much to ask of the hunter to have a landowner sign a piece of paper. While the meeting was a great civics lesson, apparently half the hunters in this county are minors, not taxpayers, not voters.

Mr. Gasperson, please understand that if you had thoroughly researched your recommendation, you would have realized that registering land with the Wildlife Commission is not an option for those who choose not to allow hunting and it is most doubtful that the Wildlife Commission would register a large number of small tracts.

Ms. Walker, no, the Wildlife Commission will not allow one to list ones self as a hunter. Thank you for your insightful recommendation, but I, for one will not lie and say that I will allow hunting and turn in fictitious names.

Mr. Melton, it is an insult to those of us who have spent countless hours researching this issue that you continually call on Mr. Blanton for his opinion. I hope each of you read the letter from the executive director of the Wildlife Commission, Mr. Gordon Myers, who stated unequivocally that the Wildlife Commission does not have a position on written permission and that Mr. Blanton does not speak for the Wildlife Commission.

Mr. Watson, what a disappointment that you feel compelled to follow the crowd.

Having served on the Henderson County Board of Education on the heels of an unpopular merger, I do understand the difficulty of your position. We had many heated meetings in packed auditoriums. In addition, I spent six years as a member of the Hendersonville Zoning Board of Adjustments. Many times the decisions I made were not&bsp; popular ones, but each time, I made the best informed decision I could and kept in focus that my job was to make decisions on what was best for the overall majority.

As to a solution: This problem will not go away. It will only continue to worsen. So what are landowners to do? Apparently we must campaign for commissioners who are willing to take a tough stance on issues involving the county and even in the face of adversity, have the strength of character to do the right thing.

Currently Polk County has only one: Much appreciation to you, Rene McDermott. &bsp;

Brenda Brock