Mailbag - Feb. 7, 2002

Recently the association of cable operators ran an ad in the Los

Angeles Times saying they had three wonderful TV channels, C-span 1, 2

and 3.

Since I am an avid watcher of C-span, I really regret that our local

operator, Time Warner, has opted to relegate C-span 2 to the hours

between midnight and 6 a.m. and has never mentioned that C-span 3 exists.

We are missing out.

NANCY DONAVEN

Huntington Beach

Harman’s bill goes too far

Honorable as his intentions may be and necessary as legislation might

appear, Assemblyman Tom Harman is taking a too heavy-handed approach with

his recent proposal about how local elected and appointed officials up

and down the state should handle potential conflicts of interest.

People here in Huntington Beach have certainly undergone a long period

of controversy over whether a city councilman acted properly over

questions of conflict of interest. Many people charge that the public

trust was broken and laws violated.

Being neither judge nor jury, I shall defer on the case of the

resigned city councilman. It’s not polite to kick someone when they’re

down.

But it is wrong to draw from our local situation a remedy that casts a

blanket of suspicion over every appointed and elected local official in

the state.

We should not be telling city council members, school and college

trustees, commissioners and committee members that they always stand

under a cloud and that they must be ready to leave the room at any time

over any possible conflict of interest.

How freely would the deliberations of our chosen leaders be if

officials constantly had to wonder if they had confessed to all potential

conflicts? And absent from the discussion is what penalties would apply.

Would this encourage good people to serve in already-thankless

positions of public trust?

Our lawmaker is overreaching on the remedy for a local problem.

Perhaps the fire and brimstone behind this proposal is based upon the

personal experiences that our assemblyman had on the Huntington Beach

City Council.

Based on quotes in the Independent, the assemblyman seems to carry a

deep-seated disdain for his former council colleague.

But our federal and state constitutions each say that no law shall be

written solely to punish just one person. And it would certainly be wrong

to use one bad apple as a reason to cast suspicion upon every good person

who serves as an appointed or elected local official.

The system that James Madison envisioned two centuries ago is what

worked in Huntington Beach.

When an elected official assumes office, says our democratic

tradition, you extend to them the faith that they will act honorably in

the conduct of their duties.

Sometimes, that faith is clearly violated. Sometimes, the elected

official uses enough rope to hoist themselves into plain sight, so that

all may see their misdeeds.

This takes a while and it is painful, but this system worked in

Huntington Beach.

A vibrant free press and a vigilant public brought alleged misdeeds

into full view. And the courts of the land entered the picture as the

alleged misdeeds were exposed.

No, this is not an easy way to do things, but this is the system that

has allowed us to survive the resignation of one president, the

impeachment of another and countless scandals. Some scoundrels seek and

hold office, but that is no reason to change the overall central notion

of our democracy, namely that people can trust most of their elected and

appointed officials to be honorable.

Ethics laws are followed by the honorable and ignored by the

scoundrels.

Let us strengthen freedom of the press and widen the public’s access

to their government. A free press and informed public offers a far better

long-term guarantee of honest government than casting a top-heavy

big-government cloak of suspicion over every local official in our state.

BILL ORTON

Seal Beach

We need to fix our schools in Surf City

Improving the educational facilities for our children should be on the

forefront of voter’s minds in Huntington Beach.

As a resident of this city and parent of children in the city school

system, I would encourage all residents to vote for the school bond

Measure DD to modernize elementary and middle schools. A few facts

residents should be aware of:

* Aging schools: The average Huntington Beach school has not been

upgraded or improved for more than 30 years. While computers did not

exist as a mass education tool at that time, they are a necessity now and

rewiring for technology is of utmost importance. As well, many roofs and

plumbing systems in the school need an overhaul. Similar to your house or

place of

business, these are natural upgrades or improvements that should occur

after such a long period of time.

* Existing high quality maintenance: The Huntington Beach City School

District should be commended for the job it has done to maintain the

schools. The existing facilities, although old, have been taken care of

exceptionally well and voters should be assured that if this bond passes,

the schools will uphold their fiduciary responsibility to maintain these

facilities for another long period of time.

* Minimal cost to the taxpayer: The cost per household of this bond

will amount to approximately $3.75 a month, roughly the cost for a movie

rental. In other words, this isn’t much to pay for a tremendous

improvement in educational quality.

Opponents of this bond measure say that the plan is “poorly drafted”

and “lacking accountability.” This bond has been reviewed and given the

full support of the County Treasurer and Tax Collector. It has a

detailed project list with actions, due dates, and accountable

representatives. The bond will have an independent oversight board

consisting of a taxpayer organization, senior. citizen’s group, business

owners, parents and teachers.

In my opinion, this bond has above standard oversight and

accountability attached to it.

Honestly, we are lucky in Huntington Beach to be in the position we

are: many cities have aging schools, but not all cities have the existing

quality education, ability to maintain such quality or taxpayer base that

Huntington Beach does. For a relatively insignificant amount of money,

our elementary and middle schools can deliver another 30 years of quality

education. I strongly support and encourage everyone to vote for Measure

DD.

CATHY MESCHUK

Huntington Beach

As a parent with children in the Huntington Beach City School District

for the past eleven years, a former PTA president and an employee of the

district, I am very familiar with the political issues that have

surrounded the finances of the district. I feel that the bottom line at

this point in time is that our schools desperately need refurbishment,

and a yes vote on Measure DD will ensure that this will happen. As a

homeowner, I know that my home, although it has been maintained over the

past 30 years, is now in need of expensive repairs such as a roof and

plumbing and electrical work. Our schools were built at the same time,

and are in need of the same repairs, some are even much older. I also

know that when people are shopping for homes, they take a close look at

the neighborhood school. I feel it is worth a few dollars a month to

ensure that our homes maintain their value. A yes vote on DD will help

make sure that our Huntington Beach schools remain some of the best in

Orange County.

JUDY WOODS

Huntington Beach

I am writing in an attempt to clear up some confusion I have seen in

the paper and heard regarding Measure DD, the bond issue for the

Huntington Beach City School District on the March 5 ballot. Many

residents of Huntington Beach are probably not aware of the fact that

students residing within the city limits attend one of four different

school districts. We have the Huntington Beach Union High School

District, which encompasses seven high schools in Huntington Beach,

Fountain Valley and Westminster; the Huntington Beach City School

District, which encompasses eight elementary schools and twomiddle

schools in the southern parts of the city; Ocean View School District,

which includes 11 elementary schools and four middle schools; and

Fountain Valley School District, with 11 elementary and middle schools.

The Huntington Beach City School District, which has placed Measure DD

on the ballot, gets no money from Wal-Mart, that is Ocean View School

District. It is also Ocean View School District which is building gyms at

their middle schools, not Huntington Beach City School District. It is

the high school district, not the city school district as reported

recently in one local newspaper, that is rebuilding the swimming pool at

Huntington Beach High School. It is the Fountain Valley School District

that is attempting to unify with its high school.

It is easy to see how people can be confused, but be assured, the

Huntington Beach City School District needs the passage of this bond to

replace the aging roofs, plumbing, heating and electrical systems at

nine of the 10 schools, which average over 36 years in age.

Please support education and vote yes on Measure DD if you live in the

boundaries of the Huntington Beach City School District. (If you don’t

live in the boundaries, the measure won’t be on your ballot.)

TERRI SPEAKMAN

Huntington Beach

Forefathers would have wanted invocation

I was disappointed to read via a Letter to the Editor in the

Independent that the Huntington Beach City Council is no longer starting

its meetings with an invocation.

I hope this is not true. At a dark time in our country’s history,

when most Americans are seeking God’s blessing on America and are filling

America’s churches, synagogues and mosques, more than in recent memory,

this would be a strange time for Huntington Beach to stop seeking such

blessings on its activities and decision making.

If it is done to support the doctrine of separation of church and

state, it is a misguided interpretation. It is certainly not in keeping

with the way America’s founding fathers operated and believed (though

some have wanted to rewrite history in recent years).

JIM GOSNEY

Huntington Beach

Kudos and criticism for the Grace Winchell pick

The City Council made a wise choice with their appointment of Grace

Winchell to the vacant city council seat.

Her prior eight years on the council were exemplified by her

integrity, fairness and knowledge of the issues before her. Her ability

to resist special interest pressures and vote in the best interests of

the citizens of Huntington Beach was remarkable.

We will indeed be fortunate if she chooses to run for election in

November.

ED KERINS

Huntington Beach

I am shocked. Grace Winchell is named to replace Dave Garofalo.

If that headline had not been typeset for the last two weeks someone

was asleep at the switch. You might want to consider type setting this

one now, “Winchell goes back on promise, runs for City Council.”

It was probably appropriate to announce this on Super Bowl Sunday.

Only the NFL’s incestuous head coach recycling program comes close to our

standard.

SKIP FINESTONE

Huntington Beach

Our “new” council member was selected today in the Talbert Room of the

library. New this time around; she has served in the past with apparent

prestige. If you only read or heard of the announcement, you missed the

great event of the selection process.

It was much like a greatly strategized plan. Every council member

started off the voting with an apparent personal selection.

It was quite a display of political strategy. As a potential council

“select,” how do I feel about it? These were duly elected council members

(one previously selected), voting as their position allows.

At first I thought the selection of Grace Winchell would be sort of

like a “non-decision.” Many felt her selection would create a level

playing field for candidates in November.

I understand that logic; however, there will be three to five

positions open for City Council for this coming year. That did not appear

to be a substantial reason for her selection.

It appeared to me, more important to select a new individual from the

pool of community members who have worked hard to gain the knowledge and

expertise to carry forth the City Council’s business with “continuity.”

The transition of possibly over half the council members in November

could possibly cause a hesitation in forward movement of the city.

I can understand the votes for Livengood, who has been visibly active

in the community for years, but why the vote for Ron Davis, who has

reportedly done no community service, served his career in Long Beach,

gains a following through writing a column, and reports to have no

aspirations to run in November?

As the dust clears, it seems apparent the strategized plan perhaps is

not too bad after all. Grace Winchell is apparently a person everyone

respects and trusts to serve the position well in the interim.

And now the council looks like they made a genuine faith effort to

vote for various individuals, rather than jump immediately onto the band

wagon to reinstate Grace Winchell.

Thank you Grace, for making yourself available for service in this

interim period, in order to provide a continuity in the city’s business

and allow us the opportunity to move on. I support you in your efforts to

provide the bridge of continuity.

DIANE LENNING

Huntington Beach

Editor’s note: Lenning was a council candidate in the November 2000

election.

Inlet is a good idea for Bolsa Chica

I saw your question about the Bolsa Chica restoration and cutting an

inlet, and I totally approve. I think it’s probably the best idea I ever

heard and if you were to add anything more to it, it would be that little

bridge there where there’s only a little pipe to flow between the inner

and outer bay.

Cut that away and make it more of a flow-through that would increase

the water flow through that whole area by about 100%.

I think it’s one of the best ideas anyone has ever come up with in

this area.

BRIAN FITZPATRICKHuntington Beach

I am definitely in favor of the inlet at the Bolsa Chica. As the old

saying goes, without water to flush it out, you can’t have a wetlands.

BOB HARRISON

Huntington Beach

Don’t cut through the state beach

I don’t believe in cutting an inlet in the state beach for the Bolsa

Chica.

DONALD SCHRIMPFHuntington Beach