Letters to the Editor
Opinion
Published: December 17, 1999
Sad to see
To the Editor:
Create problems then accuse fellow council members? Hey, non-truths repeated often enough in word and print may get citizens to think there’s some truth in the accusations. Link up, through a favorite developer, with an out of town lawyer. Use the court system and a poorly written law to attack blameless co-workers. Win or lose, it doesn’t matter, implications of wrongdoing alone can be damaging. These lawsuits are costing this city thousands of dollars in legal and increased publishing costs that just create more problems; like reduced ongoing income denying increased ongoing police raises. So, who gets the blame? Emotional issues are great for news. Use ethnic differences. Maybe the Federal Justice System would be interested. More costs to the city and segregated voting for its citizens? Gee, who to blame these problems on? Stir up a few misguided followers to make more public accusations and just keep pointing the finger until election time. Maybe enough voters will be hoodwinked into believing the accusations, but I doubt it.
Jerry Schmidt
Santa Paula
County government
To the Editor:
The fact that I am not a habitual letter writer and my communicative skills are somewhat lacking, I was just concerned that the “crystal clear” observations that have crept into my “Joe Citizen” i.e. non bureaucratic mind over the past week may not come out in print as clearly as they should, but here we go.
The die has been cast over years and years at the Ventura County Government Center. All that has taken to make the “feces hit the fan” was one David L. Baker who had the analytical skills and the courage to tell all of us (including the most firmly entrenched bureaucrats and empire builders in the county government) that THE EMPEROR HAS NO CLOTHES, as a matter of fact, he’s buck naked.
During a couple of visits to the Government Center for routine business this week, I could sense that the paranoia within the confines was so thick that you could cut it with a knife. It appears that most (not all) of the higher level staffers at the “emporium of regulation and confusion” are scrambling to save their butts and make sure that they have a chair when the music (money) stops.
The thing that really slays me is that even members of the Board of Supervisors are at “battle stations” to justify the size of their individual staffs. In the December 9th, 1999 Los Angeles Times, Supervisor Flynn says, “We get 100 calls a day. I need two more staff members just to keep up.” Supervisor Long says, “The role of my office is to be the buffer between my constituents and the county departments.”
Somehow the idea that the public might need a buffer between them and the people hired to serve them kind of stinks to me. If the departments are doing their job of serving the public in an efficient manner and without all of the bureaucracy, complication and sometimes heavy-handed “B.S.,” there is no need for a “buffer” between the public servants and the public. Furthermore, Mr. Flynn’s phone probably would not ring “100 times a day.”
David L. Baker, with his less than one week tenure here, should and very well may go down in history as the greatest and best CAO that Ventura County has ever had. His early departure and to the point resignation letter was really a “CLASS ACT.” It definitely got his point across and touched a lot of nerves that needed touching.
The best thing that the Board of Supervisors could do is go and find the man, thank him for the wake up call and then offer him whatever it would take to get him back in the CAO’s chair. He definitely has most everybody’s attention now and probably would be quite effective.
The second best thing they could do is to put up a life-size bronze statue of David L. Baker in the center court of the main floor of the Hall of Administration so that all concerned will remember his message every time that they walk in and out of their towers of power, complication and over regulation.
Steve Hanson
Santa Paula
Spirited thanks
To the Editor:
The final total for Ghost Walk ‘99® has at last been tabulated. As the Santa Paula Theater Center’s primary fund-raiser, the welcomed figures show that it exceeded all estimations, be they terrestrial or ethereal.
Over 1,500 ghost seekers tramped about ghostoric downtown Santa Paula, paying $9,424 for the sheer fright of it. Add to this sum the amount of $1,200 in donations from sponsors, and the grand total is $10,624. (By comparison, last year’s event grossed $10,414.)
To make the annual ghost walk materialize takes a host of spirited volunteers. In addition to this some 60 real, and sometimes surreal individuals, who devote their time and creativity to the event, there is also another group of supporters. These are the reserve police officers and citizens patrol personnel who kept the route safe, the property owners who lent their porches, hallways and curb sides to stage our ghosts, and the residents who live within the barricaded area and who every weekend coped with the crowds tramping through their streets.
To all of you we say THANK YOU. To the hordes who came from far and near to venture down our spooky path of phantasmagorical experiences we say, DELIGHTED YOU CAME. And to the unfortunate procrastinators who became clamorous mobs when turned away, we say MAKE RESERVATIONS NEXT YEAR!
Until October of the new millennium,
Mary Alice Henderson
Jeff G. Rack
Linda Livingston
and our ghoulish, ghastly colleagues from the rogue gallery of recalcitrant members of the Committee that fosters the annual Ghost Walk
Thank you Santa Paula
To the Editor:
The 1999 Santa Paula Football Season has ended, but the memories of this great year will linger on for quite a while.
Many of our great fans took part in the Player Sponsorship Program and thanks to you we raised enough money to help pay for our 1999 equipment.
The Chamber of Commerce and the Santa Clara Valley Bank were very gracious to allow and sponsor our team in the 4th of July celebration at the airport.
Don and Debbie Johnson again were great to allow us so much publicity in the Santa Paula Times, and with Pat Untiedt as the sportswriter who could lose.
The Santa Paula School District Board, the administration, the staff, security, students, Mr. Joe Riccio, teachers and cheerleaders were always behind us keeping us encouraged to “Keep up the good work.”
So many times we take the maintenance crew for granted, but we also want to tell them how much we appreciate them lining and cutting the field, and cleaning up after us.
The other source of football revenue is our fantastic Snack Bar where you would find Pat and Joanna Lindsey preparing the tri-tip, then Randy and Maria Blackshear would show up to get things “rolling” for the “Big Game.” Then would come all those great parents to work - thank you parents for working and cooking. We want to thank Andreas Wedderien, division manager of Wonder Bread, for all the rolls and bread products for the season.
For those of you that purchased a fall sports program with all the informative information inside, we give a great big thank you to Eddie Hernandez.
If you were at our games you would never forget Ken Ary selling the 50-50 tickets, thanks Ken.
The coaches and players of the ‘99 Cardinals established goals. Everyone worked very hard to reach those goals. En route to completing those goals we ran into a great St. Bonaventure team, however we can look back over our season and realize that two of our four losses were to Bonny and Nordhoff, and both of those teams are playing for the title. They can’t be too bad!
The week of the Bonaventure game we really learned how much our fans were behind us. As you drove around town and at the school you could feel the “electricity” in the air.
Yes, we lost the game, but the Cardinals are now more familiar with the playoff procedure, so we can say “Wait ‘til next year... the best is yet to come.” How can anyone really be a loser with such great fans in such a great community.
As the Head Football Coach I am proud of our Varsity, Jr. Varsity and Freshman teams for the successful season they had.
Finally, I would like to personally thank the Chamber of Commerce for selecting me and honoring me for the Joe Nesbitt Award. This has been a great year for me!
Thank you Santa Paula
“Hoppy” Mumford
Head Football Coach
Public comment
To the Editor:
On December 10, the front page of the Santa Paula Times bore the headline “Council under fire for costs related to fighting DOJ allegations.” Perhaps a more accurate headline would have been “Same old group of disgruntled Santa Paulans complains about Council fighting DOJ.” The group in question is a very small minority of citizens who for various reasons simply do not like our council, except for Laura Espinosa of course.
The fact of the matter is the vast majority of Santa Paulans are 100% behind the Council’s efforts to fend off the big stick tactics of the DOJ. The real irony of this issue is the very people complaining about the money being spent are the same people who have been instrumental in creating the legal problems forced upon Santa Paula. This is but one more example of how these people having failed to win any elections have turned to the courts to force their will on the citizens of Santa Paula.
Huguette Johnson
Santa Paula
What Christmas means to me
To the Editor:
Christmas is a time for loving,
Holding in our hearts
All the magic and the wonder
That this blessed day imparts.
It’s a time for letting bygones
Be just that, and nothing more,
Time for looking back and weighing
All we have been working for.
Christmas is a time for giving
Something more than store-bought goods,
Time for spending peaceful moments
Walking through the quiet woods.
‘Tis a time for growing closer
While we have the time to spend,
Cherishing the precious moments
With a relative or friend.
Christmas is a time for sharing
Hope and joy and sorrow,
Giving what is ours today
But may not be...tomorrow.
‘Tis a time for recollection
For the sands of time run fast,
Do not squander golden moments,
Do not grieve for what is past.
There’s a bright star in the heavens
Over one small cattle stall,
And a baby in a manger
Who has come to save us all.
And with love beyond all telling,
As he reaches out for me,
This hushed and holy moment is
What Christmas means to me!
By E. Easley
P.S. At Christmas remember our troops - homeless - and pray for them - these people don’t have Christmas. Give a gift - show them you care.
Happy holiday,
Lynda Lloyd
Santa Paula
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