WE, of course, love to get letters—more specifically, letters to the editor so we can publish and share different views with Rockland readers.

Some letter-writers only contribute once. There’s some burning issue in their town, or a news story that has stirred some strong feelings, and they write. And we love it. (even more when they don’t agree with us, I think.)

And we have our pros. The letter-writers who drop us a line (for publication) every 30 days (the required waiting period for being published again). Sometimes, they even send us their opinions in between, aware that they won’t get published, but they just want to share. And they cc us when they write to other publications, or to their local leaders.

There are quite a few I’ve “inherited” from Art Gunther. (I suspect a few were wary of me and Art had to let them know I was OK, though he’s too much of a gentleman to talk behind anyone’s back.) They warmed up to the new editor and new process, and others have joined in. We are grateful for all of them.

I want to express this gratitude, and wish I had done it more often. This weekend, I read the obituary for one of our longtime consistent letter-writers, Anthony C. Zacharakis of Tappan. Anthony wrote a lot, and he wrote mostly about Orangetown politics, but also about transportation, safety issues and other topics. He also would send ideas along, and cc the Editorial Board on letters he sent to Orangetown Town Hall. His writing style was somewhat clipped, and went right to the point. I share with you part of one of his Community Views, this one from December 2001, on traffic safety in Orangetown:

“Referrals, study, meetings, sinecures, paper shuffling and manufactured activity scandalize Orangetown, i.e., the “Route 303 Sustainable Study,” the Rockland Psychiatric Center study, the Pearl River revitalization plan, master plan upgrade, etc.

The people of Orangetown, the silent, overwhelmed, intimidated, rate-paying multitude, elect the supervisor and Town Board to keep the town safe, secure, well-serviced, clean and green.

The Town Board squanders town resources.

The Town Board should rid Route 303 of the “seven stops of shame.”

It is time to resolve, budget, appropriate, act or step down. ”