Don’t approve Poseidon report Please don’t approve...

Don’t approve Poseidon report

Please don’t approve the Poseidon environmental report and vote

against the desalination plant. We already have enough air and ocean

pollution in Southeast Huntington Beach.

CURTIS L STELLEY

Huntington Beach

Helicopters should be cut before cops

Although your July 10 article “Surf City lays off 37 employees in

cuts” didn’t state which six members of the Police Department were

laid off, I’m guessing none came from the helicopter unit. Is it

really in the best interest of residents to now have less police

services on the ground and the same unnecessary service in the air?

If so, I hope they hold a moment of silence at 600 feet for the

six newly unemployed below.

SEAN STEPHAN

Huntington Beach

Maybe city should contract police, fire

Week after week I read of all the budget problems at City Hall,

now I’m reading that dozens have faced layoffs and HBTV-3 is going

off the air. Where will this stop?

The city has got to look at any and all options to reduce

spending. One option that hasn’t been explored is contracting out

police or fire. My sister and her family live in Mission Viejo and

have had first-hand experience with the county fire department. She

has nothing but praise for the fine job they do. I’m sure they would

be capable of doing the same excellent job in our community and

probably save us some needed dollars in the process. Don’t get me

wrong, I have nothing against our fine police officers and

firefighters, I just wonder if we can still afford them in these

economic times.

ANITA WYATT

Huntington Beach

Council deserves support, not criticism

Once again, I must respond to Gary Arneson’s letter (“For cuts,

council should look in mirror,” July 17). He felt the City Council

should cut back on their own benefits to save programs and money for

the city.

Their job, for all intensive purposes, is already a volunteer job

when you consider the hours of service they contribute to this city.

They do this job to make our city a better place to live and to keep

developers and outsiders with their own agendas, at bay. I feel we

are so fortunate to have the people we have. Some may be new and

learning the job, but all are dedicated to people who have the best

interests of this city in mind.

We are in the midst of a poor economy and all cities, as well as

our state, must make difficult choices. Their decision to use money

to maintain infrastructure, in my opinion, is right on. We are a

classy city. Why would we want cracked, uplifted sidewalks and

crumbling sewers with uncut trees hanging over the middle of our

streets.

Our City Council needs our input right now, not our criticism.

MEG WATSON

Huntington Beach

City could save with automatic billing

It’s about time that the city of Huntington Beach can do automatic

deductions for our water fees. It’s been years, and they can’t get it

together over there. You still have to go in to pay your bills. That

would save us money. Probably another employee could be let out of

that department if we could just pay our bills in automatic

deduction. For some reason, nobody seems able to do this very simple

thing.

CHLOE MIECZKOWSKI

Huntington Beach