Mailbag - May 6, 2001

Chamber trying to steal boat parade

And the winner of this year’s Grinch award goes to . . . the Newport

Harbor Area Chamber of Commerce for its role in “Let’s Mess Up the Boat

Parade.”

When asked for comment, a representative of the chamber must have

replied: “Those north bay Balboans are far, far too happy. We’ll have to

do something to make them feel crappy.

“We’ll take all the boats, their lights, and their crew,

a parade on the north bay just never will do.”

AMY SMITH

Balboa Island

More the merrier when it comes to churches

In “Mormons rejoice over proposed temple,” April 24, I’m one that’s

quoted extensively, so obviously you know what I think. Of course, I

think the Mormon temple will be a great blessing to not only the members

who will go there but to all in the community.

Our community needs more and not fewer churches; more faith and not

less. Any facility that strides to upgrade the quality of its members

will be a blessing to that community.

So, a Mariners Church will be a blessing and, if it expands, it will

be that much more of a blessing if more people can come and have their

lives enriched. This is a different kind of facility, but we feel exactly

the same way: The more available it will be to the people in Newport

Beach, the more it will upgrade and enhance the quality of life in our

community.

JOSEPH BENTLEY

Newport Beach

Proctor missing too many council meetings

Is it just us, or has everyone noticed that Gary Proctor missed

several recent meetings of the Newport Beach City Council? For 20 days,

he was supposed to be on vacation and then he was sick. What goes on

here? Does living in Santa Clara County provide a problem for our

“rookie-bonus councilman”?

Enough is enough. If Proctor can’t make it to the meetings, maybe he

should get out of the way and make room for someone who actually will

show up and offer their input, without being dragged, kicking and

screaming to get there. If we knew we were voting for a virtual

candidate, perhaps the results would have been different.

It would have been interesting to hear what Proctor would have had to

say about the “visioning process” projected to cost a measly $221,000.

Perhaps the council can find a group of people who like 14-story

buildings after all. The general plan definitely will require review --

big black X’s “where traffic comes from.”

Perhaps, Homer Bludau and the City Council could save themselves a few

bucks by merely reviewing the results of the Greenlight vote. That might

take about five minutes over a cup of coffee at the new Starbucks, but

what do we know?

RON and ANNA WINSHIP

Newport Beach

Steel should retract comments or not seek reelection

I just moved to Costa Mesa in October.

I made it a point to get voting information and to read about the City

Council candidates and cast my vote.

I did not vote for Chris Steel, and one of the reasons was the fact

that he had been a candidate many times and never received enough votes

to become a council member.

Now my reason not to vote for him has been affirmed. I could not

believe my eyes when I read his comments about affordable housing in the

story “Cut back affordable housing, Steel says” (March 23).

One of the reasons I moved to Costa Mesa -- aside from being closer to

my church -- was the affordable housing, which I have discovered is not

easy to find. I am employed part time and am happy to pay my share of

taxes. I have found Costa Mesa to be a friendly and accessible place to

live.

It is encouraging to me to see the number of letters dismayed by

Steel’s comments. I hope he will retract his statements or choose not to

run again in the next election.

JAN CHANTLAND

Costa Mesa