A dare for new superintendent What priorities...

A dare for new superintendent

What priorities should top the list of the new Huntington Beach

City School District superintendent?

How about laying out an oversized version of the current

organization chart, starting from the superintendent’s position down

to the lowly classroom teacher? Then, save the teacher position and

cut the headcount on the remaining, over-bloated administration by

half.

Then maybe, just maybe, much-needed money will finally reach the

children. I dare you; I double-dare you!

ROLAND DALCOURT

Huntington Beach

Center would be a shot into community

This is in response to the editorial “Taking a shot at the

children,” pertaining to our neighborhood’s objections to the

Westmont School Boys and Girls Club proposal (March 10). I would like

to point out some very disturbing elements that were left out of your

insulting editorial and accompanying cartoon.

You failed to mention that two members of the Ocean View School

District board of trustees have serious concerns about this project

and will not vote for it. Or that a third trustee has stated in

public session that she cannot vote for this project without an

environmental report. The Boys & Girls Club wants a go-ahead without

any report being done.

This is a strange joint-use agreement between the Ocean View

School District and the Boys & Girls Club. It provides for a lease

payment of one dollar a year for 50 years to the school district in

exchange for the club taking over use of the school property.

Who in their right mind signs a 50-year lease for anything?

The agreement calls for long operating hours of 6 a.m. until 8

p.m. Monday through Friday, with slightly reduced weekend hours. This

schedule is all year long.

The gym has absolutely no restrictions as to hours or purpose.

Parking spaces are to be added for 200 cars and attendants supplied

by the district when they have “big” events that require parking on

the turf area. So yes, this will absolutely effect our neighborhood.

This is also a bad financial deal for the taxpayer. The school

district maintains the grounds and has the insurance liability. Who

can possibility predict how those expenses will increase in years to

come?

Heil Avenue is a busy cross street. Huntington Center is yet to be

completed, and we know that traffic on Beach Boulevard will increase.

Summer traffic on Beach is heavy. The fire station that serves this

neighborhood is on the other side of Beach Boulevard. Our traffic

concerns are valid but they are far from being the only concern.

The primary purpose of the schools is to educate the children.

Convoluted joint-use deals with third party entities do not

accomplish that goal. The Boys & Girls Club is not a bad

organization. It’s just an organization that needs to fund its

charity without dipping into the public purse and working deals with

others.

LILLIAN KELLY

Huntington Beach