Rebuttal

Regarding ex-Newport Beach City Manager Bob Wynn’s letter to the

editor saying he was proud of the job he did as city manager (“Former

city manager alarmed about Greenlight,” Aug. 24), let us not forget what

happened during his tenure, when the city was rocked by scandals

involving city employees, including the Bob Dixon multimillion-dollar

embezzlement and the Police Department sexual harassment case, costing

the taxpayers millions of dollars.

Where was his oversight? Where was the leadership? The citizens paid

dearly for this laxity. Moreover, during his time, the city faced several

legal challenges and referendums involving city approval of large

traffic-congesting developments such as the 1986 Newport Center

expansion, which was defeated handily by the voters of Newport Beach.

Wynn is an affable, nice man, but I don’t agree with his opposition to

Greenlight. I think Greenlight is necessary to protect the very quality

of life that makes Newport Beach such a great place to live.

JAN D. VANDERSLOOT is a Newport Beach physician and environmentalist.