“Henry Frederick Wednesday, 9/24/08, 6:42 PM Dear Shadow, To clarify your lead item, NSBNEWS.net was not aware of any personnel decision regarding New Smyrna Beach City Manager John Hagood prior to or after Tuesday's meeting until just now after reviewing your Web site. We are puzzled as to why you are reporting otherwise. As for our previous story on Mr. Drossman and his biographical information, the biographical information was relayed to us at the 9/11 remembrance. From: New Smyrna Beach Web Site: NSBNEWS.net Email: henryfrederick@nsbnews.net “

Mr. Fredericks, who is the publisher, has criticized the Shadow for calling to attention that this story was all over town and the nsbnews did not inform the public. He both denies that he knew of the determination of the three of worthies to orchestrate a palace putsch of the City Manager, and also vehemently denies that he is controlled by the Unions. Not only do we accept his statement, but apologize for including him in what we believe has been a wall of silence erected by the other papers reporting events in New Smyrna Beach to discuss or editorialize on real issues. He definitely states he is not controlled by the Unions, and we accept that too.

But we must admit that, like Webster, we are astonished that no one informed him. Maybe the next time we get a story like this one, we will call or e-mail all of the papers on Monday morning after we publish. We know that no one reads the Shadow, but we thought that considering that we had well over 500 visits to our website on Monday we are also astonished that he was not called in by someone else. Again our apologies for thinking that he knew. We do believe that over the years both the Journal and the Hometown News often had information and did not publish anything that could be considered negative about these worthies.

We still would like to know who gave the nsbnews phony biographical information on Commander Drossman. We do not like the word “relayed.” We wonder what O’Reilly would think of that word.we imposed risks upon them. Everyone in public safety applied for the job, warts and all, and they choose the risks which are less than the scads of the most dangerous occupations, including the Krispy Kreme truck driver.

It is nonsense to say that everyone is a hero because they wear a uniform, or are to be provided more deference than any other well paid public official doing the job for which they pursued and acquired.

Public safety is a combination of what society thinks it needs and what the taxpayers are willing to pay. We choose, personally and collectively. Choose to live on top of a mountain in Colorado five miles from the end of a road, and you will probably own an arsenal to protect yourself and not expect med/evac to get you in a hurry during a medical emergency. Individuals ski on Black Diamond slopes, but do not want a nuclear plant within a hundred miles. You would clearly be safer living next to a police station or in a medical emergency living in the shadow of a hospital. You choose and society chooses. The problem now is that what you get is more than you need at an expense that is both unnecessary and too expensive.

Keep in mind that the Volusia County Sheriff can provide the identical police service we receive for about $2.5 million dollars. He offers to tailor his service, for a price, to our needs. It will be far less than 4 or 5 million dollars. Please tell us why the City Commission has refused to talk to him.