Earlier this week, this letter landed in the mailboxes of several residents who opposed the city’s recent rezoning of Sanford’s Marina Island.
The Save Marina Island group led the opposition to the rezoning, which allowed the opening of an assisted living facility on the riverfront property.
The mailer verbally bashes a candidate for mayor, and even accuses one city official of crimes.
At one point, it refers to one woman by using the name of the terrorist group ISIS. And it calls “Save Marina Island” group leader Hank Dieckhaus a “Confirmed Adulterer and Suspected Thief.”
“I haven’t seen anything this despicable,” said Hank Dieckhaus.
Dieckhaus was so outraged by the anonymous mailer, he bought this $600 dollar full-page ad in today’s Sanford Herald, where he responds to the mailer.
"I just can’t, can’t believe it. They’ll stop at nothing to stop us from talking,” said Dieckhaus.
Hank Dieckhaus says the letter even lists his address as the return address. He’s contacted the Post Office, and hopes whoever sent the letter can eventually be identified.
“They agreed to send us the necessary paperwork to file a report, and they’re going to look into it and help us as much as they can,” says Dieckhaus.
The mailer defends Sanford Mayor Jeff Triplett, saying recent accusations against him over his support of the Marina Island rezoning are unfounded.
When I reached out to the mayor on the phone, he told me it’s “disgusting” and said neither he nor any of his closest supporters were involved.
Meanwhile, Dieckhaus says he will consider legal action if he can find out who sent the letter.