Mailbag - Jan. 17, 2002
Livengood’s our man
Of the many candidates being considered for appointment to
theHuntington Beach City Council, one stands out as a natural choice: Tom
Livengood.
Livengood has served the citizens of our city in dozens of key roles
for over three decades. His involvement in the business community
(Chamber of Commerce), environmental groups (Amigos de Bolsa Chica, Bolsa
Chica Foundation), homeowners groups (Home Council) and city committees
and commissions (charter revision, budget and general plan committees and
Planning Commission) as well as a management background have given him
the broad understanding that few if any of the other candidates have.
Livengood would apply his experience and knowledge from day one and
continue to be an active and valuable member of the city council for the
term of his appointment.
DAVID and MARGARET CARLBERG
Huntington Beach
I became a Huntington Beach resident in 1970 and immediately became
active in the Jaycees and their main yearly event, the July 4th Parade,
chaired by Tom Livengood. This was a major undertaking by a volunteer
group. Livengood proved to have the leadership skills and dedication to
make this a truly outstanding event. During this time we also became very
good friends.
Livengood has served with distinction on the Huntington Beach Planning
Commission for 14 years. Tom actually visits sights that are to be voted
on to gain a firsthand analysis of the issues. This is truly hands on
service. He makes decisions based on merit, not political pressure.
Livengood is a Past President and has served on the Board of Directors
of the Amigos de Bolsa Chica for the past 10 years. I have had the
privilege and pleasure of serving with him for the past year.
Livengood has submitted his name for the vacant Huntington Beach City
Council seat. He is fully qualified for this position. He brings proven
leadership, intelligence, dedication and unquestioned integrity.
He has my complete support.
ROBERT W HARRISON
Huntington Beach
No need for Wal-Mart
In addition to all the previous negative letters you printed about the
new Wal-Mart in Huntington Beach, I would also like to add that we have
already have an existing Wal-Mart only about three miles north of the
planned one.
BOBBE MOOTCHNIK
Huntington Beach
Cartoon, editorial -- Cheap shot, guys.
Your editorial(“Harbour restriction necessary, welcome”, Jan. 10) and
your Steve Bolton cartoon demonstrate that you have little or no
understanding of what the situation was.
The recreational boaters, property owners and business people were
very vocal in urging the Navy to do what is necessary to have the
security it needs and keep the harbor open for normal use. Apparently
they have done this. No one ever suggested that security be relaxed, just
that the Navy recognize that Huntington Harbour is one of Southern
California’s busy recreational harbors with 24-hour traffic.
Boaters returning from Mexico and other ports were not allowed to
simply return to their own homes, but were turned away for the night.
Disabled boats seeking shelter were turned away. Mechanics out testing
boats after working on them were turned away and not allowed to return to
their slips until the next day because they arrived at the harbor
entrance a few minutes late. Home escrows were being canceled because
buyers did not want to buy homes with docks if they could not use their
boats in a normal manner. Businesses depending on boating encountered
financial difficulties, All of this was a lot more than a “bit of
inconvenience.”
Private boaters endorse the need for security and will go along with
what ever is necessary, registration, transponders, random searches,
escorts, inspections etc.
To label them as selfish, and to ridicule the club that many of them
belong to is, at best, a very cheap shot.
BILL WOODARD
Huntington Beach
What a tasteless cartoon.
Huntington Harbour Yacht Club’s SELfish.
HHYC is a real yacht club. The tasteless cartoon is nothing short of
slander, and based on the likelihood that some people will not join such
a club, because of the cartoon’s message, it just may be libelous, too.
A note of interest: This “SELfish” yacht club teaches kids to sail,
offers scholarships, is a meeting place for the Coast Guard Auxiliary to
teach boating safety and courtesy, provides no-charge Holiday cruises
(harbour lights) for disadvantaged youth (and a party afterward),
participates in nearly every opportunity to help clean up the harbor and
the coastline, works for and with the Special Olympics, contributes
resources (time, money, facilities) to countless charities and emphasizes
sailing and cruising . . . not fishing.
The Huntington Rod and Reel Club emphasizes fishing and is a boating
club in Huntington Harbour. Plus there are at least two other
yachting/fishing clubs in the harbor. Why did you single out the
Huntington Harbor Yacht Club?
HHYC is one club that helped inform boaters as to the federal
regulations, related to the closure and to the subsequent restrictive
hours. I know of not one of our 300 members who “complained,”
particularly in light of Sept. 11.
I do know that nearly every local business that relies on
boating-related business was hurt, deeply. It is my understanding that
one or more did or will close their doors (go out of business), due to
the lack of business from a once-active-boating-community, to a
locked-tight harbor. And, the cartoon is a slap in their faces. For what,
requesting an alternative plan?
Bolton’s cartoon is rude, certainly crude, and most certainly boorish.
He definitely owes an apology to HHYC. He definitely has no clue about
the difference between the discomfort that comes from ignorant cruelty
and a lame attempt at becoming a political (albeit local politics)
humorist. And you obviously could care less about the financial
well-being of your own community.
Jim Budd
Huntington Beach
District Attorney was right on
The district attorney is correct not to bring criminal charges
regarding the Huntington Beach police officer involved shooting. I
support Officer Wersching’s decision and genuinely regret the loss to the
Saldivar family. A uniformed police officer, in responding to a dangerous
situation, confronts an armed 18-year-old male and orders the suspect to
drop the gun. Later on it is determined that the gun was a toy. What was
the officer supposed to do in such a life-threatening situation? It is
not reasonable for anyone to expect a police officer to wait for the
weapon to fire and then hope that he will live through it.
JOHN F. HILL
Huntington Beach
The district attorney’s office should not attempt to prosecute the
Huntington Beach Police officer for shooting a man who pointed a gun at
him.
The fact that it was a toy is irrelevant. On a dark street in the
middle of the night it’s ludicrous to think the officer should not assume
it is a real gun particularly after, according to the officer and
witnesses in the neighborhood, Saldivar was told to come out with his
hands up. The real issue is: the police officer was doing his job, what
was Saldivar doing?
TRICIA RILEY
Ladera Ranch
Garofalo needn’t have resigned
No, I don’t think the councilman needed to resign, tough as his
critics may be. You just gotta plug away and he certainly had critics but
he also had supporters. I don’t think he had to step down and good
fortunes to him on whatever he chooses to do.
BILL ORTON
Seal Beach
School bond needs to pass
I have been a resident of Huntington Beach for 23 years. I have seen
my stepchildren graduate from Talbert and Huntington Beach High School. I
now have three children of my own in elementary school. I have watched as
our schools deteriorate. They have been maintained on an as-needed basis,
but our schools as a whole are in great need of renovation.
If our schools are up to date, people would want their children to go
there, which in the long run would increase out property values. Because
of this we would be a highly sought after community. That is why we need
the bond measure to pass.
ROBIN HUMPHRIES
Huntington Beach
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