Mailbag: Huntington’s police foundations are not the same

I want to help minimize any confusion our community might have regarding the article “H.B. police forming nonprofit to fund community programs” (May 28).

The Huntington Beach Police and Community Foundation is a newly formed foundation that differs from the longstanding Huntington Beach Police Officers’ Foundation. The newer foundation is a nonprofit formed by the chief of police to primarily fund departmental programs and other items that might be difficult for the department’s budget to handle.

The Huntington Beach Police Officers’ Foundation was formed in 2000 and has enjoyed a 15-year partnership with many supportive individuals, businesses and civic organizations in and around Huntington Beach. Since its inception, our foundation has made more than $1 million in donations to benefit families of officers killed or injured in the line of duty, as well as assisting many community groups, youth sports and other local nonprofit organizations.

The HBPOF is currently running a mail campaign to raise funds to help complete the Huntington Beach 9/11 Monument and Memorial Plaza project. The mailer is already reaching homes and businesses.

This project will enrich an acre of land at the Huntington Beach Civic Center with a monument that will incorporate two pieces of steel recovered from the twin towers’ collapse on Sept. 11, 2001. This steel was presented to the police and fire associations to build a tribute so that future generations can remember and reflect on that fateful day.

The members of the Huntington Beach Police Officers’ Foundation want to thank the public for continued and generous support over the years. Be assured that donations will be invested back into the community.

For additional information about the Huntington Beach Police Officers’ Foundation, visit BuildingtoRemember.com or HBPOA.org/foundation.

Dave Humphreys

President, Huntington Beach Police Officers’ Assn.

*

Public comments during the recent Huntington Beach Planning Commission study session surprisingly supported converting an entire acre of open, passive parkland in LeBard Park to a parking lot.

At the same time, people from the adjacent Meredith Gardens tract recommended preserving a third of an acre of parkland that has been slated for a parking lot extension.

This seemingly contradictory position was a response to a net loss of 42 parking spaces if the plan to build 15 houses on the site of the former LeBard School is approved.

As one might guess, the lot to be preserved is on the Meredith Gardens side of the park. It was depicted as promoting the idyllic activities of badminton, picnicking and birthday parties. However, baseball practice on the acre lot at the opposite side of LeBard was summarily dismissed as unnecessary. It would appear that the use of parkland by the Suburbia Park community pales in comparison.

In reality, neither parking lot should encroach on our scarce parkland. The city’s general plan explicitly calls for our parks to be extended, not diminished. Merely to sit in, gaze at or know green space is nearby directly enhances our quality of life.

Alan Walls

Huntington Beach

*

Desalination plan raises many questions

A couple of weeks ago, the Orange County Water District board approved a term sheet with Poseidon Water for an ocean water desalination plant in Huntington Beach that would produce 50 million gallons of potable water per day.

This may sound good, but the deal raises many questions.

Will district ratepayers pick up undue risk if the project fails or is not needed? Will this desalination project create a dead zone along Huntington State Beach that will drive away tourists, recreation and fishing? Why is a private company involved in the production of a public water supply? Does this area of California need this costly water?

Poseidon Water received multiple public-agency permits over the years but still needs the approval of the big kahuna, the California Coastal Commission.

If the company put this much energy into building a 21st century project in a location that needs its water, maybe it would have a plant that was running by now. Instead, it wants to put a harmful, costly and archaic desalination plant in a place that doesn’t need it.

Pat Goodman

Huntington Beach