Acronyms CC (cause confusion) The primary sources...

Acronyms CC

(cause confusion)

The primary sources of information regarding Burbank governmental

activities are the Leader and Charter Communi- cations Channel 6.

While articles in the Leader are almost always concise, clear, and

understand- able, the same is not true for information presented at

the council meetings as seen on Channel 6.

The reason I say this is that I have been very involved in airport

issues for many years, and I still found the presentation on the

airport’s environmental impact report at last week’s council meeting

confusing because the consultant relied so heavily on acronyms. Two

examples: MAP and NEG-DEK. Most of us think of a map as a drawing we

utilize to locate directions. When the consultant used the term MAP,

he meant millions of annual passengers at the airport. Why not just

say what you mean instead of trying to invent your own language?

The term NEG-DEK refers to a Negative Declaration of an

Environmental Impact Report. The purpose of this proposed negative

declaration is so that the airport will not have to do a full

environmental impact report. The reason the airport is attempting to

do a negative declaration is to sneak in a huge number of additional

parking spaces and not account for the additional traffic, pollution,

etc. that the use of these spaces would bring. There are indications

that some members of the council are wise to this. Hopefully, the

council will do the right thing and put an end to this by voting down

the proposed development agreement which will, among other things,

give the airport a lot more available parking.

Council members and city staff would serve the public well by

minimizing the use of acronyms. Possibly even more people would watch

council meetings if they were routinely conducted in English instead

of the insider language of acronyms. Here’s a little thought in the

way of an acronym I created myself: IHA, pronounced eye-hah. In case

anyone is interested, IHA stands for I hate acronyms.

RON VANDERFORD

Burbank

Second the motion

to oust the council

Bravo to Jesse L. Byers concerning the letter in the Aug. 28

Leader (“Council must go, and not a moment too soon”).

A few of your points have been raised by myself in letters

published in the Leader, and I am very happy to see that I am not the

only one in this city who has these feelings. From the Burbank/Bob

Hope Airport fiascoes of the past decades, to the Home Depot

foolishness earlier this year, to the now all-important fencing

issue, this city has become so full of themselves that it’s

ridiculous. I totally agree with Mr. Byers that City Council members

think themselves more important than they really are.

By the way, if I am mistaken, please correct me, but since I have

lived here all my life. I have never voted for mayor ... I understand

that it is an appointed position rotated every two years or so among

the City Council members. Now if Burbank is such an important and

progressive city, why aren’t the citizens allowed to vote for such an

important position? After all, much smaller towns at least hold

mayoral elections, so why shouldn’t we?

BRIAN COOPER

Burbank

Standing water a standing problem

Even prior to West Nile virus situation, we contacted Burbank

about our street. Since the virus problem started, our neighbor

contacted the city, and there was no response.

We live on Jacaranda Avenue, off Clyborn Avenue and Toluca Park

Drive. Every day, my husband and I, ages 73 and 74, use a broom to

push standing water from the gutter in front of the house to west of

us, past our house and past the house next door on east.

This is because no matter who waters on our side, it collects and

stays in holes, pits, etc., especially these three houses. We

requested the city do something to fix the problem, not a band-aid

type of fix as the asphalt erodes away on a patch. The band-aid type

of patch, many years ago, made the holes bigger. We would appreciate

your attention. Thank you very much, residents of 4304, 4310 and 4314

West Jacaranda Ave., Burbank.

ROLAND AND TRISH BARROW

Burbank

More to be done

to fight West Nile

City Manager Mary Alvord is doing many things right, for now, to

stop the West Nile virus. As I understand, the city of Burbank must

set up thousands of traps where possible to control this great

problem. To fight malaria from mosquitoes, even our old medications

won’t work any more. The U.S. military uses traps to remove

mosquitoes from their areas. We need to develop shots for people and

birds.

E.E. SWANSON

Burbank

Campaign against chain links OK

Come the next election, we should nominate Mr. Vander Borght for

governor. But for now, if he can legislate against chain-link fences,

let’s at least keep him in office or maybe bump him up to Lord Mayor.

Chain-link fences are fine (barely) in industrial areas and prisons,

but a blot on the cityscape elsewhere.

AXEL OVREGAARD

Burbank