Cleator Lauded for Role in Vauclain Pt. Project

A Los Angeles Times commentary (“Vauclain Point a Tarnished Victory,” Jan. 26) asked the people of San Diego to judge Bill Cleator (a mayoral candidate) based on his efforts to help the San Diego Hospice acquire Vauclain Point. I think that is an excellent idea, but I think Mr. Cleator should be judged on the facts surrounding his involvement in this project. Bill Cleator did the following:

1. When the hospice’s efforts to acquire the property were defeated in October and it looked like Vauclain Point would be sold for private development, Mr. Cleator was contacted by Mercy Hospital and agreed to try to get additional time so that Mercy could make a proposal.

2. He also devoted his own time to developing the nature trail concept that eventually proved to be the solution to the impasse.

3. Next, Mr. Cleator devoted hours to uncovering the identity of the donor and negotiating the nature-trail compromise.

4. After successfully negotiating this compromise on our behalf, Mr. Cleator went back to Mercy Hospital, embarrassed by his success, and asked that we meet with Mercy. I met with representatives of Mercy Hospital on Dec. 27 and Mercy, on its own, very graciously agreed to allow the hospice to present its proposal and only if we were not successful would Mercy proceed with its plans. This arrangement was later confirmed by Mr. Cleator’s office.

5. Councilman Cleator tirelessly conferred with other council members prior to the council meeting on Jan. 6. Rather than this being done behind the scenes, Mr. Cleator acknowledged these efforts during the council meeting and even apologized to Councilman Jones for not having been able to meet with him.

6. During the course of the council meeting, Mr. Cleator did acknowledge the efforts of the Vauclain Point Advisory Group.

In recognition of these efforts, Bill Cleator received the unanimous support of the City Council as well as a touching tribute from his longtime opponent, Mike Gotch.

The following day, Mr. Cleator presented our case to the Board of Supervisors and won its unanimous support as well as a commitment from the county to enter into a partnership with the city to make sure that this valuable project succeeds. Finally, at a recognition ceremony on Jan. 14, Bill Cleator received the praise of our donor, Joan B. Kroc.

Yes, Bill Cleator kissed Councilwoman Gloria McColl when our proposal passed the City Council. I was there and I thought it was a compassionate gesture for a woman who had recently lost her mother to cancer. I think that Bill Cleator’s involvement in this project is likewise motivated by compassion.

The Times commentary stated that the issue was not the hospice, but where the hospice is to be located. But these are really the same issue. The purpose of the hospice is to reduce the pain and suffering experienced by terminally ill patients. If we can’t build this project on Vauclain Point where our patients are only minutes away from Mercy and UCSD Medical Center, their pain and suffering will increase accordingly. I commend Bill Cleator for having the vision to recognize this.

If San Diego judges Councilman Cleator by his performance on behalf of the San Diego Hospice, that judgment should show him to be a leader with the ability to see the importance of projects such as ours and with the know-how to accomplish great things. It’s too bad that Councilman Cleator can’t be judged on our finished product because I am confident that our hospice will come to be one of the things San Diego is known for throughout the world.

RICHARD EDWARDS

Vice president

San Diego Hospice