LETTER OF THE WEEK

The Ocean View School District, with Supt. James Tarwater leading the

charge, is hurrying to finish a deal that was cruising along unquestioned

for many months before it was discovered by area residents.

Even board members seem utterly unaware of key details of the plan

(consultants used, etc.). The plan to finance the construction of four

larger-than-required gymnasium/auditoriums at the middle schools has

galvanized surrounding neighborhoods, as the projected revenue can only

hope to be realized via year-round, day and night use, causing disruption

to residential streets and property values.

Anyone who hasn’t attended board meetings or read the September and

October minutes would know nothing of the financing plan.

Residents, real estate agents and engineers have brought concerns and

petitions to the school board. Residents are now being assured community

advisory committees will guarantee their input in the process, but an

individual school blatantly works to ensure its site committee doesn’t

have any local residents, just parties with a vested interest in seeing

the existing plan implemented.

So much for building trust in the district’s “good intentions.”

Some trustees -- not all -- and principals have painted neighboring

residents as anti-kids or anti-gyms. We are neither. But when people who

love their neighborhoods are bypassed and are only included in a

peripheral way after they happen to discover what’s going on, they feel

betrayed and belittled. If the district wouldn’t do that to kids, they

should give their neighbors the same respect.

PAT MATZKE

Huntington Beach