BAYVIEW: ‘Bad for business’ rebuttal

David White says: “This has been out there for 13 years now and just now people are saying anything.”

We say: It doesn’t matter how long the plan has been ongoing to shut the EAST GATE, it doesn’t make it the right thing to do. There is no dire need to close the EAST GATE. Why make Bayview businesses lose revenue from park visitors who now won’t come to our town?

They say: In the coming years, the park plans to move the main point of entry next to the Farragut Naval Training Station and World War II Brig Museum.

We say: When the Brig Museum entrance is open, by all means close the EAST GATE, but why do they have to close it now?

Erin McKindreee says, “With respect to Bayview’s economy, the park continues to actively promote and support Bayview with Park Brochure advertisements that we make available to all park users.”

We say: The Bayview Chamber of Commerce paid you thousands of dollars for the advertisement. You make it sound like the park did this out of the goodness of your heart.

David White says: “We serve almost 500,000 visitors in the summertime, and we have attested to the fact that in July and August, Farragut State Park hosts enough people to become the fourth- or fifth-largest city in Idaho.”

We say: You’ve been serving 500,000 visitors for a long, long time and things were just fine with the EAST GATE open. You can better serve your visitors by making the shortcut to Bayview open again.

Update: We have 916 petition signatures. Bayview residents want to know if Bayview volunteers can man the EAST GATE? No cost to the state of Idaho. Free volunteers. Problem solved until the Brig Museum entrance is in place.

SHERYL PUCKETT

Bayview