Facts need checking in ‘Watchdog’ writing

Tim Riley

It’s like clockwork. Another Sunday, another innuendo-filled Watchdog

column.

You certainly are keeping us busy having to correct the record.

Your writer on June 12 misled the public by omitting several

facts:

* The city had a willing seller for the Santa Ana Heights Fire

Station and Training Center site. The final action did use eminent

domain so that the seller could take advantage of tax benefits.

* Redevelopment dollars can and should be used for buildings like

fire stations because the station specifically benefits the

redevelopment project area. The training building -- which will allow

us to train to serve the greater Newport Beach and Santa Ana Heights

area -- has been funded in large part via a grant from the Rancho

Santiago Community College District, not redevelopment agency

dollars. The remaining balance is earmarked in a separate general

fund capital improvement project.

* The proposed training tower will be 6 inches -- yes, 6 inches --

taller than the tallest building in the neighborhood. It won’t be 50

feet tall. Indeed, readers should drive by the site (Acacia and Mesa)

any time over the next two weeks to see exactly what this will look

like. We’ve “story poled” it at the request of the community.

Training centers like this one are not luxuries -- having one in town

means that we don’t have to pull engine companies out of service to

train, which provides better immediate and long-term service to our

residents. And training to respond to any emergency is essential for

effective public safety service.

* The proposed regional recreational facility -- a joint project

of the county, the city and the Orange Coast YMCA -- is hardly a city

“shopping” project. This project -- like the others on the Project

Advisory Committee’s list -- was put forth by the advisory committee,

supported by the advisory committee and designed mainly to

accommodate the committee’s wishes.

The Daily Pilot’s fact-checkers need to check and re-check your

columnists’ assertions.

Before too long, the public may start believing them.

* TIM RILEY is the Newport Beach Fire Chief.