Uzumlu Expat survey

[Firo]

At long last the mayor has realised he has many foreigners living in Uzumlu and has asked us what we want. We started a survey last night so can you let me know what of the following you agree with so I can collate the requests before we present them to him.

1:Lower water rates for homes with pools
2:Roads to be built where new homes are
3:Section of the cemetary for Foreigners
4:Public announcements in English for electric/water cuts
5:Bins where required
6:Clean up the village & the area of rubbish
7:Builders to clear sites when finished
8: ATM (cash machine)

Any other ideas that effect the majority will be welcomed.

We think this has come about because there is local elections next Spring and even though we cannot vote we have friends who are Turkish that he maybe thinks we can influence.
Fi

[pookie]

Hi Fi, thanks for that, and can agree to a certain extent that the above list would make life easier for us and no doubt the majority of expats in Uzumlu.  However, I can't help thinking that with limited funding his lire may possibly be better spent else where that would benefit the entire village ie: consistent water supply, more funding for the school, better medical facilities, safer lighting etc.   Cheaper water would be fantastic, but when you see the locals struggling to water the crops that are used to feed their families, (because of the poor supply), I really don't feel I can complain.

[batman]

Hi Firo, it would be nice to have lower water rates for us with pools but it just doesn't seem right, having a pool is a luxury, and as a part time resident I get even less use out of the pool than full timers, so I don't begrudge the extra. The rest of the list is great.

[GrantT]

Blimey - I've seen it all now. Lower water rates for those with pools !!
'Let them eat cake' springs to mind ......

[Firo]

The pool issue has been talked about before and it was suggested that a fairer way to charge those of us with pools would be to assess the size of the pool then calculate how much water it takes to fill it and add that as a charge on the house tax paid annually. This was proposed by a Turkish person living here.
I take your point on board Pookie but water is a problem all over Turkey so why should we pay more than Calis, Ovacik, Olu Deniz etc?
A lot of the water they use comes from Uzumlu. Much of the problem appears when every day the Belidiere turn down the water pressure to everyone.
Anyway it appears from last night that is top of the list of most peoples gripes.
He has requested this information but that does not mean that any thing will be done.
The locals can have their say during the next elections in April or May. Already the village is having new roads laid (cobbles)so the forthcoming election is already benefitting the village.
As a Turkish friend said to us "the 9 months before the elections will be a frenzy of getting the jobs done that voters complain about, it's about buying their votes!"
I will of course let everyone know how we get on and thanks Batman & Pookie for your feedback.
Fi

[Firo]

Grant ...do you have a property in Uzumlu? If not where is your place because you will be paying a 1/3rd of what we pay.
Fi

[Rindaloo]

We pay three times more to flush our loos, shower, cook.  That isn't fair.  Sure, charge us for having a pool.  But why should we pay 3 times as much for ALL our water.

[calvin 1949]

Before we go down the road of survays , do we with respect actualy know how many expats belong to this forum .It would in my opinion be wrong to base the results of a survay on this forum ,to be a fair assesment of the true feeling of all Expats .That said i agree with most of your listings,  but also with Pookies comments. i suppose you would call that edging your bets .We that is Jill and I came to live in Uzumlu because we liked the area , not get to involved with trying to change the Turkish way of life. If progress is slow who are we to try to rush thing through ?? Calvin

[scorcher]

A "beefed" up electricity supply would not be unwelcome!Then we might be able to run more than minimum appliances at the

same time....

[hamilton]

The water supply pressure drops during the day because it is the simple law of supply and demand. The demand during the day is greater therefor the supply dwindles, and returns at night when the demand is less. To eliminate this problem the pipes that supply the area around uzumlu would have to be increased, likewise the storage system/pumps etc would also have to be increased. There is no forward planning and allowing new properties to be built without addressing the simple fact that the services supplying us all has to be increased to meet the ever incdeasing demand is the real problem. Our taxes may have to be increased rather than decreased if the problem is to be addressed in a professional manner.