Rebuttal -- Pam Walker

In response to Ron Davis’ column (“Let’s keep Ocean View gym debate on

the merits,” March 8).

As the unnamed board member in this column I object to Davis’

characterization of my comments.

What I asked in my very short address to the council was why the issue

was put on the agenda on a night when we had a conflicting meeting.

I believe that if the district had an opportunity to address the

council members there may have been more discussion regarding the need to

use city resources in this way. If I had wanted to attack Connie Boardman

I could have asked why her initial request to the city attorney’s office

was for legal ways to STOP the building of the gymnasium/auditoriums.

Not quite the way it was worded for the public.

The next comments that I made were regarding the fact that the state

is offering substantial monetary rewards to entice cities and school

districts to enter into joint-use agreements for facilities (This would

amount to $1.5 million per gym in this case.)

It seems strange that the cities of Huntington Beach and Fountain

Valley are going in such an opposite directions to the state’s directive.

They are basically turning away from $6 million in state money and the

ability to use these facilities for their programs.

When looked at in this light, the question to the city attorney should

have been: “How can we work with the school district to address the

concerns of this group of citizens while supporting the need for these

facilities in our community?”

The truth of the matter is that the school district is paying the

price for decisions made by our predecessors. One of these decisions was

to place schools in the interior of tracts of homes. As enrollment

dropped, demographics changed and Proposition 13 took its toll on

finances, the district closed schools and had to change from neighborhood

schools to area schools.

The school districts are also paying the price of the decisions made

by prior city councils to take money in lieu of park land when tracts of

homes were built. Those city fathers looked to the schools to meet open

space requirements, never dreaming of the need for facilities for the

explosion of youth sports activities.

These changes have caused an increase in traffic that would not have

been an issue if the schools were placed on major thoroughfares.

My last comments were directed to the parents and other citizens

dedicated to the welfare of children in this city. I asked these people

to step forward and have their voices heard.

There are very loud voices in Huntington Beach for Bolsa Chica, rent

control and against eminent domain. Where are the voices for the

children?

I was gratified to be followed at the podium by Chuck Beauregard who

is one of the strong voices for the children of this city. He is

passionate about the development of youth sports facilities in Huntington

Beach.

He knows the value of giving children a positive way of channeling

their energy and learning teamwork and responsibility.

In conclusion, I do not feel my comments warranted Davis’ attack. I

did not give up my rights as a citizen of this community when I was

elected to the school board, nor did Principal Liz Williams give up her

rights when she chose education as her career.

You might give us credit for knowing more about this project than you

do. After all, we have spent a lot more than a couple of afternoons

dealing with the issues.

* Pam Walker is a member of the Ocean View School District board.