I received the following email. Thanks to all of you who stepped up and expressed your opinions, wrote letters and made calls on this issue......... we did it...there will be no name change for our GRAYTON STATE PARK!!!!!
From: GAETZ.DON.
Date: April 12, 2010 7:11:10 AM CDT
Subject: RE: GRAYTON STATE PARK NAME CHANGE VOTE
Dear Ms. Morrell,
Thank you for your email regarding the potential addition of Governor Bob Graham's name to the Grayton Beach State Park. It means a great deal to me that you took the time to share your straightforward opinion. Clearly, those who came to us with this proposal meant to honor Governor Graham for his environmental preservation efforts by adding his name to the park whose trails and beaches he tramped and loved as a boy growing up. Their intentions were good and Bob Graham deserves recognition for his leadership in conservation, including in Northwest Florida and in the Grayton Beach area.
I say this as a lifelong Republican about a lifelong Democrat. However, it's also clear that the authors of this well-intentioned idea did not clear it with people in the area, including some local organizations who care deeply about the park and about the area. I freely admit that I took their representations of broad support at face value and should have checked myself. That was my mistake and I've learned from it. It would be exactly the wrong thing to do to force this name change on the community. And it would be disrespectful to Governor Graham to entangle him in a local controversy.
Consequently, I have talked with Representative Coley who has agreed to drop the proposal in the House. I will take similar action in the Senate. Again, I appreciate your comments on this matter. Your criticisms, observations and guidance help me be a better senator. Please always feel free to stay in touch.
Respectfully,
Senator Don Gaetz
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