MAILBAG - Oct. 21, 1999

Let me see if I have got this straight. We have a committee of

non-elected people who have now decided the city should own this

$12-million vision (“Public or private, that is the question,” Oct. 2).

Jim Wood says the meeting space is needed for homeowner associations to

have a place to meet. What a joke. Does Wood know how difficult it is to

get homeowners to turn out, even for an annual meeting? Besides, there

are facilities already available for this type of thing -- the library

meeting room, OASIS Senior Center, two large clubhouse meeting rooms in

Harbor View Homes -- that can be rented for a nominal fee. With regard to

the need for an art gallery, we have display space in city hall, the

library and we have an art museum in our city that needs our support.

Wood is quoted as saying that the proposed facility would be beyond the

beaches and shopping, and everyone will want to gather there.

Come on Wood, let’s be realistic. Lacking in all of this rhetoric is the

mention of a needs assessment, which I believe should be commissioned by

our city council (if they deem consideration of this project

appropriate). The needs assessment should first determine if there is

really a need for what is being proposed; and second, if there is a need,

how would it fit into the priorities of city expenditures.

Let’s remember that no matter how much in private funds might be raised

for this project, it would be dependent on city-owned land, and forever

operating costs undoubtedly picked up by the city. Let’s do first things

first, and get an appropriate needs assessment. At the same time, let’s

support the important cultural projects already in the works.

JACK REEVES

Newport Beach

The question should be, does Newport Beach need a new art museum/cultural

whatever, to be subsidized by the taxpayers, on Newport Beach open-space

property?

Your reporter seems to cover every nuance of the squabble between the

library board and arts commission. The thought of spending at least $12

million on someone’s vision galls me, and then we the taxpayers will have

to be concerned with the operating and maintenance costs forever.

With regard to a city project being built and run by a nonprofit

foundation, in my judgment, nonprofit foundations ancillary to city

commissions is a ridiculous concept in that these foundations are run by

a small elite group of self-appointees who are responsible to no one.

Take the case of the Library Foundation. They raise some of their money

through our water bills, and constituents think they are giving the money

to the library, but in fact, the money goes to the foundation, which

decides how it will be spent. Financial statements are not provided by

these nonprofit groups to the city or library board and the funds are

dribbled out as the foundation sees fit. The nonprofit foundation

associated with a board or commission has the expense of a director,

office space, etc., and these expenses come out of the contributions.

It’s just another layer of bureaucracy.

In contrast we have this wonderful group “Friends of the Newport Beach

Library,” who work tirelessly and send check after check to the library

to be spent at the discretion of those who run the library.

In my opinion, the new foundation established by the arts commission has

no business getting involved in developing a building on city-owned

property, when this foundation has no public overview. If this group is

so intent on pursuing this cultural project, and they are optimistic

about raising funds, then let them do it on private property, not on city

property that is designated to be a park.

ANE EVANS

Newport Beach

‘Harry Potter’ concern borders on censorship

I’m responding with concerns to your Oct. 16 article titled, “Parents not

so wild about Harry’s wizardry.” I strongly urge the Newport-Mesa Unified

School District to approach the appropriateness of reading ‘Harry Potter’

books with extreme caution. This is not an issue of separation between

church and state, but rather the issue of censorship. If students cannot

be read Harry Potter because some feel it constitutes a religion, then

they cannot be read books that endorse any religion, including Christmas,

Hanukkah, Kwanza and so on. If students cannot be read this book because

some feel it endorses witchcraft and sorcery, then any books that endorse

magical or supernatural powers must not be read. If students cannot be

read books that contain accounts of child abuse because some feel this is

a difficult topic to discuss, do we leave that issue to be discussed at

home between the abusive parent and abused child? While there are many

issues, morals and values that we do not all view the same, we need to

teach our children those beliefs in our own homes. Censorship is not an

issue to be taken lightly.

JEAN FERRIS

Costa Mesa

Other Newport-Mesa schools doing well, too

I applaud Newport Harbor High in its extraordinary efforts (“Extra effort

time these days at Newport Harbor High,” Oct. 5). I know how much time

and effort it takes to accomplish excellence. However, were you also

aware of the following?

* Lincoln Elementary School was named a National Blue Ribbon School this

year. Also, in 1998, Corona del Mar High School was named a National Blue

Ribbon for the second time. Only 208 schools have received this honor

twice, which puts Corona del Mar High in the top 4% of the nation’s

schools.

* Corona del Mar High completed the Western Assn. of Schools and Colleges

review in March of this year, receiving exceptional praise. Let me quote

for you from Steven Fish and Marsha Litwiller: “It’s a difficult task to

move a school from 98% successful to 99%” and “Powerful teaching is

taking place here.”

* The staff and parents at Corona del Mar High are also working

diligently on a digital arts grant.

MICHELE L. MUTZKE

Newport Coast

Newport Center is big enough

Reedy’s article should have been labeled an advertisement/press release

because it was written by a hired hand of those promoting the proposed

Newport Center high-rise projects that will completely abrogate the

current Newport Beach general plan (“Newport Center needs room to grow,”

Oct. 12).

How can the Pilot allow this piece to appear as a regular article rather

than as a paid advertisement?

This article is just another example of advance public relations to

convince the public that expansion for the Irvine Co. is necessary at

Fashion Island. Can’t they understand that the traffic that will occur in

order to access these huge office buildings will choke up areas all

around that are vital to residents and working people for their essential

transportation?

There are only two main arteries into this area -- MacArthur Boulevard

and Jamboree Road. Coast Highway already has its own problems in either

direction. I realize MacArthur has somewhat been prepared to accept more

traffic, but this just barely relieves the existing situation. Jamboree,

with all its new developments -- and those on Ford Road, too -- is

drowning in current congestion, especially during rush hour.

The residents of our city must be made aware of the jeopardy posed by

these high-rise developments that abrogate the general plan of the city

of Newport Beach. The residents of Newport should have a voice to

determine whether the general plan should be altered by these

unreasonable massive projects put forward by the big money of this area.

SUZY KVAMMEN

Newport Beach

What about Dunes traffic on Jamboree?

I am so terribly sorry that the one day that I don’t read the Daily Pilot

was the day you apparently had a specific article on the Dunes hotel

project going up (“Readers Respond, Oct. 16). And all the people that

wrote in to say that they think it is such a fabulous idea, I wish they

lived directly on or off of Jamboree Road -- which is already so crowded

with traffic.

And whenever there is any kind of construction going on the traffic is

backed up for miles. It goes on sometimes in the middle of the night, as

it did last week when they were doing road repairs. And it just makes it

horrendous for the people who live in any of the divisions off of

Jamboree Road. We happen to live in Sea Island, directly across the

street from where this new Dunes hotel would go up. I don’t know when

they talk about traffic where they think this traffic is coming from. It

may be entering from Pacific Coast Highway and Bayside Drive, but it will

be coming down Jamboree. And with several thousand comings and goings per

day plus a couple of years of construction traffic, I am telling you, it

may benefit a few people, but for the people who live off of Jamboree

Road and there are several developments as you know, it is going to be a

nightmare! Thank you for letting me air my concerns.

DEDE BRINK

Sea Island