Mailbag - Dec. 13, 2001

My concern over the proposed school bond is that I cannot determine

when the bond will be paid up, and the tax withdrawn.

Recently, the city got into trouble using some bond money from the

city hall and library construction for some other purpose. I was

surprised that the taxes are still being collected for that bond. Surely

it has been paid off by now.

So, to put this as simply as I can: How long will the proposed school

bond tax be collected?

JACK REDMAN

Huntington Beach

The youth of today need us to help them for tomorrow

As self interest is increasingly the guiding principle in our lives

here in Huntington Beach, I make this appeal to our citizens concerning

the school bond.

Be careful what role model as adults you present to the children who

are in school today. Someday in our legislatures they will decide the

fate of Social Security, Medicare and other entitlements upon which we

will depend. They will be the doctors who treat us, the police and

military who protect us and the farmers who feed us.

Woe to misers who reap what they sow.

ROBERT LINDSEY

Huntington Beach

There’s many good reasons for bond passage

Voters should approve a bond measure for the Huntington Beach City

School District. The quality of our schools directly correlates to our

property values.

If we have good schools our property values will continue to go up and

we really need the bond to pass to keep our schools in good repair.

JAN CONRAD

Huntington Beach

Has the district done all it can to repair schools?

In response to former Supt. Duane Dishno’s letter to the editor:

In general yes our schools are falling apart. And as usual homeowners

are “on the block to ante up the money.” What we need to know as

homeowners is the following for the three school districts, what is the

budget for maintenance for each school and each district?

Why is it not published in the paper? Not all of us can attend a

school board meeting and look at the thick agenda and budget and somewhat

decipher what the district is doing. Put it in “homeowners terms” and we

might understand.

Have the districts gone to the state and asked for hardship money? If

they have, who have they contacted? What was the response? Has someone

from each district gone to Sacramento with a videotape of the conditions

of each school and hammered the state for more money?

If not, why not? Has anyone in each district asked for or pleaded with

the state to come down and take a look at our school sites?

If you look at the Web site of Delaine Easton, the state

superintendent of California schools, you will notice her main concern is

the health, safety and welfare of our children.

What about the Proposition 1A money? Has all of that money been used?

What has it been used for?

What about the Wal-Mart money?

I have many questions regarding our aging schools. Will bond measures

pass? We as homeowners do not trust each district to spend the money

where it is supposed to be spent. That is why the measures do not pass.

When we look for a place to live the first thing we as parents have to

figure out is can we afford the house payment and what the schools

around us are like. If we don’t like the school we do have the ability to

transfer our children to a school where we want them to go to.

We should all be aware that out schools today are all a workmen’s comp

claim waiting to happen, or worse a parent suing the school district for

placing their child in an unhealthy and dangerous environment.

The schools use trash cans to catch rain water in classrooms. Is that

safe? No. Is that a smart idea? No way.

Maintenance in each district does not seem to be a big priority. Going

digital does? Gee, we are digital and computer literate but our schools

are falling apart. Wow, what a great decision that was. Does the state

require us to go digital? I don’t know the answer. Does the state require

a safe working environment? Yes it does. Just look at your own safety and

health protection poster at your work. These are requirements by law.

What we are teaching our children of today is that when in doubt “ask Mom

and Dad” to pay for it.

There does not seem to be any checks and balances with the districts

on maintenance in our schools. If there were, would we be in this

horrible dilemma? The health, safety and welfare of each child and each

employee should be No. 1. If these schools were in the business world

Cal-Osha would have shut them down long ago?

Always remember that PTA money is not to subsidize our schools. It is

for programs. Not for equipment, maintenance, school

supplies etc. What are my solutions?

Obviously not put a Band-Aid on a big hole, for one. Each district

needs to answer the above questions on steps they have taken before

running to us for the money.

DENYSE SCARBERRY

Huntington Beach

Surf City, not Georgia on his mind

Growing up in Huntington Beach was a honor and my parents couldn’t

have picked a greater city for us to grow up in. Our late father, George,

who retired from Bruce Brother’s after many years of loyal service and

his brother Floyd, a retiree from the Standard Oil Co. in Huntington

Beach, told us many stories of the early days of Huntington history as

children. As a youngster, the thrill of riding shotgun in our dad’s

10-wheel International dump truck and witnessing the demolition of many

old Huntington Beach homes and businesses was always exciting.

I remember when they dynamited and demolished the old Conrock Cement

Plant that was located in Costa Mesa. It now lines the cliffs along

Pacific Coast Highway. The Southern Pacific Railroad was at our back

door. Placing a coin on the tracks to be flattened was fun, or flinging a

rock at the train was always a dare by your “friends.” But If you were

really nuts, some guys went as far as attempting to hitch a ride, unless

the brakeman riding in the caboose threw road salt at you. Note: The type

of activity never occurred by any member of the Wright household.

A day of sailing was always fun on Delaware Lake, even though I

couldn’t swim a lick at that time. (Don’t tell mom.) The only items

needed to construct a solid sailing vessel (a raft) were some nails,

plywood, some old telephone polls, and of course a couple of two by fours

for oars. The Surf Theater was a great place for movies and to hear local

talent with the battle of the bands before seeing a double matinee was a

regular weekend event.

And electric cars were a regular form of transportation back then, and

yes they did have the right of way. Our next-door neighbor Mr. Ray owned

one, and sometimes I would ride with him on his way to work at the bait

shop at the end of the pier.

Our father often drove the pier tram after retirement to keep him

busy, and it only cost one thin dime to ride. Stopping by the fire house

on Main Street to visit fire chief Bud Higgens was a regular event after

my paper route.

After Bud retired, you could always find him combing the beach with

his metal detector looking for buried treasures. Bud was the town

historian and a visit to his house was always fun. Bud enjoyed telling

stories of old Huntington Beach to anyone who wanted to listen.

Bud and I developed a great friendship over the years. My older sister

Cheryl is employed with the city, and my younger brother Bruce is

employed by Huntington Beach city schools.

My older brother Patrick works for the county. Our dear Mother Ruth is

a resident at SunRise facility in Huntington Beach.

Yes, growing up in Huntington was an experience that I will never

forget, but in 1991, I traded surf for the southern pines of Georgia were

I work at a community hospital.

Georgia’s a great state, but Huntington Beach will always be my home.

DOUGLAS B. WRIGHT

Auburn, Ga

New mayor has her work cut out for her

As mayor of Huntington Beach, Debbie Cook’s priorities should be as

follows:

1) Retain an economic development consultant for recommendations to

revive vacant storefronts in our neighborhood retail centers (such as the

northeast corner of Adams and Brookhurst streets) that will provide

additional sales tax revenue to our city’s general fund that can be used

toward major infrastructure improvements.

2) Retain a consultant to undertake a feasibility study to create

localized voter-approved “residential improvement districts” to expedite

neighborhood repairs and improvements within public rights-of-ways such

as walls, alleys, landscape, etc.

3) Increase code enforcement to clean up and remove trash from our

alleys.

4) Commence a combined environmental awareness/public art campaign to

reduce litter on our streets and beaches.

5) Push the state to expedite environmental enhancements at the Bolsa

Chica before the current funding allocation goes elsewhere.

JOHN W. DE WITT

Huntington Beach

Your honor, please let your city grow

In regard to Debbie Cook, she should let the city grow and not keep it

like “Little House On the Prairie.”

She doesn’t want any business coming in. We need taxes in this

community, need businesses, need malls going up and she opposes

everything.

VIRGINIA SIMS

Huntington Beach