More to City Council hopeful than meets...

More to City Council hopeful than meets the press

While I recognize and appreciate the many positive assets Costa

Mesa has to offer, I am also cognizant of its vast unmet potential.

As a result of my love of Costa Mesa, I have spent several years

as a grass-roots Costa Mesa “booster.” Contrary to the comments made

by some of your readers, my efforts and interests have been citywide

in nature.

I have contributed, or consulted on the following citywide issues,

just to name a few: lack of city unity; signage improvement programs;

preservation of Noguchi Garden, also known as the California Scenario

Garden; Eastside small lot subdivision ordinance; Fairview Park;

traffic issues; skateparks; Huscroft House; airport issues, including

overflights; Mesa North gang issues; Megan’s law; and other law

enforcement issues.

My activism, networking and interest in serving the people of

Costa Mesa are the result of my desire to see our entire city be the

best that it can be.

I am not suggesting that we emulate Irvine or Newport Beach. Costa

Mesa has its own unique flavor that should be preserved, while

allowing people freedom to improve their residential or commercial

properties to suit the changing needs of their families and

businesses.

One of the main challenges facing our city leaders will be to

guide our city’s improvement and maturation, while retaining its

special character. While I am not an entrenched politician, I believe

that my knowledge of city issues and sustained interest in the entire

city make me a uniquely qualified candidate.

ERIC BEVER

Costa Mesa

A simple solution to

City Council vacancy

There’s a simple solution to the present dilemma facing the Costa

Mesa City Council to fill the vacant seat: a test.

Have each of the city’s division managers submit questions that

should be answerable by any candidate for a position on the City

Council and the one who scores the highest is clearly the best

choice. Knowledge of budget, planning, land use, terms and acronyms,

etc., should be expected. Every job in the world expects some level

of competency, and many require licenses.

Testing for the position of council member is an objective

scrutiny of the people who not only decide direction for our city,

but also set policy and make the laws by which we must all abide.

It probably wouldn’t hurt to have the test given every two years

regardless of an election -- just to see if our members are really

staying on top of the issues that affect all of us.

WILLIAM C. KUHN

Costa Mesa

Daily Pilot is a place for

too much ax grinding

Janice Davidson is correct in every statement she makes (Mailbag,

April 22). Many have long been watching the onslaught of political

demonization in the Daily Pilot. In issue after issue, we see

interminable hit pieces by a writer with the improbable name of

“Geoff West” (the name rings of a Hollywood situation comedy). The

Daily Pilot should identify Geoff West and give its readers an idea

of how he grinds his ax.

Next in the Mailbag comes another hit piece by a Michael

Szkaradek, who apparently follows City Councilman Chris Steel around

with a surveillance camera. Szkaradek has tried every which way to

“get” Steel. He first filed a civil case, which, lacking any legal

merit was quickly thrown out of court. He next tried to pin a felony

on Steel to disqualify the elected official from public office.

Failing again, Szkaradek continues his ax work in the Daily Pilot

Mailbag. The next target is obviously another elected city

councilman, Allan Mansoor. The vehicle for this mischief continues to

be the Daily Pilot.

I’ve lived in this town 48 years. Each year, Costa Mesa has slid

in the direction of Slumsville. Little skid rows abound -- and not

just on the Westside. Apparently, there is big money in the slum and

charity business. And each year, honest efforts to make Costa Mesa

the model city it should become have been thwarted. No wonder

neighboring communities refuse to be annexed by this town.

The voters have been correct in electing people with the will to

move Costa Mesa toward the 21st century. They should all stay the

course.

WILLIAM B. ANDERSON

Costa Mesa

Past party politics are a

clue to present character

The Daily Pilot editorial on Sunday, “Taking issues with this

attack,” understated the significance of Cristi Cristich’s support of

Bill Clinton in his presidential race with Bob Dole.

If, as a prominent Republican in our community, she had quietly

decided Clinton was her choice and voted accordingly, her break with

the Republican Party and Bob Dole would most likely be a moot issue

today. That was far from the reality of the situation. Instead, the

opportunistic Cristich used drum rolls to get attention, invited the

media to broadcast her departure from the Republican ticket and

flaunted her new and very controversial role as an activist for

Democratic candidate Bill Clinton.

In stark contrast, her current opponent, Chuck Devore, remained

loyal to the values and people within his party and worked tirelessly

during that same election for Republicans.

The choices each made give us a glimpse about their character.

Character matters, and it remains a strong indicator of an elected

official’s future actions.

BONNIE O’NEIL

Newport Beach