SURFING SOAPBOX: Council made mistake in its appointment

I was surprised and disappointed in the new appointments for the Laguna Beach Environmental Committee. Surprised by the appointment of high school student Graham Harris — the first high school student appointed to the committee — and profoundly disappointed that it might have come at the expense of long-standing committee member Tom Osborne.

I have always believed that the future of our town rests on the shoulders of the next generation of Laguna Beach residents. But I do think it was a bit premature to appoint a student to the committee as a full member. A student liaison would have been a better fit, both in benefiting the committee and in garnering more interest from high school students.

While Harris has an excellent track record for a high school student, including founding the high school recycling committee as well as participating in the Surfrider water-testing program, it seems unfair to throw him into the fire and onto the committee.

Especially considering all of Osborne’s experience — an estimated 600 hours that he has devoted to the committee — and having co-authored the committee’s climate protection plan.

This is how our City Council repays Tom Osborne for the services he has provided our town — giving him a mere one vote for reappointment?

Now, I know Osborne from my own days on this committee, and I can tell you from my own experience that it is an outright joke that he only captured one vote. He was a devoted and passionate committee member. This controversy has less to do with Harris and is more about the reason why our council ignored Harris’ own proposal of being a “student liaison” to the committee, as he had stated in his presentation to the council seeking appointment to the committee.

It’s a shame, because this committee could have had two great members instead of one.

Peace.

JAMES PRIBRAM is a Laguna Beach native, professional surfer and John Kelly Environmental Award winner. His websites include AlohaSchoolofSurfing and ECOWarrior Surf.com. He can be reached at Jamo@Aloha SchoolofSurfing.com