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Letters
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- Written by: Philip Murphy
The city of Clearlake got sued because they thought they could cut some big corners on their attempt to turn the old airport into a new shopping center, and figured that no one would care enough to take them to court over it. Any other project that required that much earth moving, grading and re-compaction would require that an environmental impact report (EIR) be done and the city knew that, but gave itself a free pass on it anyway. It wasn't the cost or time involved that made an EIR so unappealing for the city, it was the fact that they would finally have to address the economic impacts of the project, including those outside the city limits – maybe they didn't want to explain how they planned to mitigate the closure of several local hardware stores!
Very few people here realize exactly what the Sierra Club's biggest impact on development is, since they only hear about the large, controversial projects. Probably 95 percent of their effort goes into improving projects rather than stopping them, and this frequently saves tax money and prevents lawsuits by making sure things are done right the first time. A good example is when not long ago the city of Lakeport was going to approve a plan to put a 100 foot tall plastic pine tree next to the courthouse to use as a cell phone tower, the Sierra Club stepped in and got them to co-locate the antennas on the roof of the courthouse where they have far less visual impact and will generate hundreds of thousands of dollars in revenue for the county. This is why they are respected by the people in the Community Development department, Sierra Club oversight and involvement means better quality projects and fewer mistakes – which is good for everyone.
It's pretty simple: don't break the law and you won't get sued!
Philip Murphy lives in Finley.
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- Written by: Carolynn Jarrett
As a retired teacher with 25 years of experience in education in Lake County, here's what I'm looking for in a candidate for Lake County superintendent of schools.
First of all, I expect my candidate to have knowledge of current educational issues as they pertain to budget, personnel, teaching strategies, curriculum, law and leadership. Education has become an incredibly complex system which, unfortunately, often defies logic and reason. An idea which seems feasible from a business point of view is oftentimes not allowed due to state and federal laws, Education Code, and/or employee contracts. Our county educational leader needs to be aware of today's best practices and be willing to abide by all the laws which govern education today.
Secondly, my candidate should have current and detailed knowledge of each of the seven school districts in the county. Each district has its own special concerns, strengths and weaknesses. An effective county superintendent would already have relationships with people in each district and would work to build upon those relationships. I expect our new leader to continue to help us collaborate across districts to cut costs and make our efforts more effective.
Last, but not least of all, I want our county leader to commit to continue the programs and supports that have been put in place in the last 15 years: Healthy Start, county pre-schools, the College Going Initiative, enhanced technical/vocational programs and the expansion of the truancy reduction program. These programs have made a world of difference to Lake County teachers, students, and their families. Many of these programs would not have been possible without the grant writing efforts of Lake County Office of Education staff.
I was a teacher at Burns Valley School when Judy Luchsinger was superintendent 16 years ago. The service and support to my school and my district was negligible. It was as if the south county just did not exist. I do not buy her argument that business experience is directly applicable to education. While I agree that we all need to be fiscally responsible and accountable, there are many more differences than similarities.
Wally Holbrook has my vote for Lake County superintendent of schools. He has ample and varied experience as a shop teacher, principal, district superintendent, and most recently, as a leadership coach. He is well aware of the challenges our districts face as he has worked closely with Lake County principals and superintendents to help them be more effective leaders. He has vowed to review all county programs, keeping those which are the most important and eliminating or revising those which are not. Wally Holbrook fits my criteria for a candidate and has my vote. I hope on June 8, he will have yours, too.
Carolynn Jarrett lives in Clearlake.
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- Written by: Ken Savin and Michele Bush
We would like to express a thank you to many community businesses and individuals who made donations or helped to make the recent Andy Day Memorial celebration (No. 3) in the Skatepark at Austin Park on April 10.
The following companies or businesses were instrumental in helping us to put on this community event: Redbud Health Care District, CSM Automotive, Clearlake Automotive, Safeway, Foods Etc., Ray’s Foods, Joyce Overton, Elegant Touch, The Cutting Edge, Heavenly Hair, Clown Town, Girlfriends, Rainbow Balloons, Griffin’s Furniture, Mendo Mill, Ride on Bikes, From Me 2 U, Small Town Ceramics, Radio Shack, KonocTees, Noni’s Mercantile, Tatonka Trading, Gloria’s Gift Shop, Novedades Zeltzin, Cactus Grill, Lakeshore Bait & Tackle, X Tha Spot and Custom Cuts-n-Colors.
Ken Savin and Michele Bush are members of the Clearlake BMX/Skatepark Committee.
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What did we get? Nothing but a couple of long overdue improvements that could have been obtained through nothing more than crucial regulations, if the government had the back bone to stand up to the sharks.
But laissez faire capitalist America no longer regulates, we now trust the gangsters in Armani suits to regulate themselves, we've seen how well it worked with the banking industry.
By the way, the Republicans blamed the Democrats for deregulating this industry; today Obama appears to want to mildly regulate Wall street, and the Republicans are opposing him. So much for conservative logic … the same logic that blamed Obama for the bailout, while a no strings attached bailout was demanded by Bush and his cohort under threats of imminent economic collapse. But according to Republican arguments, Bush and his policies never happened … the Republicans had an eight years blackout.
Why did Republican politicians oppose the health care bill, knowing it was a blatant giveaway to the industry? Because, possibly following the battle cry of their deluded messiah Rush Limbaugh, they want Obama to fail at any cost. They consequently will oppose him no matter how conservative and
conciliatory his policies, they can't let him out-right wing them, so to speak.
As Obama said himself, whenever he picks up a Republican idea, this conservative idea is then immediately opposed by the Republicans. When will Democrats wake up and realize they are dealing with rabid bulldogs, bullies of the worse kind? It won't happen, because they are all working for the
same people, and these people are not us but the elite, industry, corporations, and especially Wall Street.
Why are some not-so-bright individuals screaming "socialism" (not to mention "antichrist")? If coercing the people to fill the pockets of private industry by buying private insurance is socialist, it is certainly a previously unknown, alien definition of socialism. Is mandatory car insurance a socialist law? Is a transfer of wealth from the poor and the middle class to industry a socialist policy? Are Republican voters living in the same world we do?
This health care fiasco is a textbook example of how, under all administrations, either right wing (Democrats) or far right wing (Republicans), the US government works: for the benefit of industry and to the detriment of the people when the two interests compete and clash, while dividing the people along oversimplified and inaccurate ideological lines to confuse them and bury the relevant issues, and implementing, without further impediment and while the people foam at the mouth spitting in each other's face, the unchanging agenda of industry: ever more profits.
Raphael Montoliu lives in Lakeport.