City Hall could use some oversight An...

City Hall could use some oversight

An oversight committee for City Hall should be established with 10

members, and this would be the wish list to jump-start it. City

members would include the city administrator, a staff person from

public works and community services as well as a staff liaison who

could process e-mail and communications received regarding this

subject on the city e-mail system. The other six members would apply

for a two-year term but not be appointed by individual council

members, and the minimum number of meetings would be once quarterly,

more often if an issue required it as a full body or by ad hoc

committee. Interviews would be conducted by the city administrator

and someone from the city attorney office or one or two council

members determined by the city administrator.

The key, though, to any committee is that if a staff member cannot

attend, a designee would come in his or her place, and if a community

member was missing a meeting, they would work to get information and

send information so all responsibilities are covered. If invited by

the committee, a representative of a community board could

participate in a meeting. The minutes would be shared with all boards

and committees by e-mail. If something above breaks some rule, think

outside the box to accomplish something equal.

KAREN JACKLE

Huntington Beach

Shelter, codes or not, isn’t up to snuff

I was very disappointed to see that you continue to slant your

articles in favor of the Orange County Humane Society. I volunteered

at this shelter for more than 2 1/2 years and spent most of my time

cleaning water bowls with mold and filth in them, kennels that had

not been disinfected, just rinsed, etc. I could go on.

Now you are saying that the shelter met codes. This is not true. I

believe in the last inspection they had more violations in one visit

than in the last three years. Yes, they did correct some

deficiencies, but they continue to slide once there is no more

“pressure� from the volunteers.

This is why I don’t take this paper -- you can’t believe anything

you read in it.

MO TABON

Huntington Beach

Residents must hold City Hall accountable

The big story to watch in 2005 is how well the leadership of our

city responds to the challenges brought about by the changed

circumstances of governance that occurred in 2004.

A change in city administrators, the departure of key

administration officials, the election of new City Council members,

the appointments to boards and commissions that accompany them, and

the prospects of further shakeups in the way our city is run means

that Huntington Beach either has the chance to “do things right� and

point toward future progress or to take steps backward in our

reorganization process.

It will take commitment and collaboration at all levels to move

the city forward successfully. It will also take observing the kind

of long-range planning our city needs to get back on an even keel and

the buy-in of all parties to make it work.

Our city does not exist in a vacuum, and we are often at the mercy

of county, regional and state dictates, especially involving

finances. We must plan intelligently and govern wisely in the short

term and over the long haul.

We cannot afford to stand still and let events and outside forces

overwhelm us.

The new City Council must set the tone for progress by focusing on

the problems and challenges at hand, by pushing for solutions, by

embracing wise counsel, good advice, and promising new ideas, by

eschewing divisiveness and partisan posturing and by taking advantage

of opportunities that come our way.

How can residents help clean up City Hall? By holding our elected

and appointed officials to the recommendations above, and by cheering

on efforts to achieve progress by our new leaders. We must remember

that accountability is a two-way street. Trust must be earned, but it

also must be given to those who deserve it.

TIM GEDDES

Huntington Beach

Sports Complex

fate deserves a look

After reading about the Sports Complex in last week’s Independent

and its million-dollar fiasco, I cannot believe that I read the last

paragraph correctly. The last paragraph states that “[City

Administrator] Penny Culbreth- Graft ultimately found no wrongdoing

on the part of the staff.� I wonder if it should not have read, “Did

not want to find any wrongdoing on the part of the staff.� Whoever

feels the staff did nothing wrong most likely believes in the Tooth

Fairy, and I bet they hang stockings over the fireplace on Christmas

Eve.

If this mess doesn’t warrant looking into by an independent

investigator, as it is tax money or will ultimately be our tax money

that will pay for it, then I do not know of any case that does.

JIM BARRY

Huntington Beach

Surf shops need

to clean up sales

The city of Huntington Beach took decades and spent tens of

millions of dollars to redevelop downtown. The plan was to beautify

it and make it the centerpiece for our tourism industry. Therefore,

it is incredible that the city allows the two (otherwise attractive)

surf shops at the corner of Pacific Coast Highway and Main Street

periodically to clutter up the sidewalks with rack after rack of

cheap sales merchandise that hinder pedestrian traffic and create a

monumental eyesore at the heart of Surf City. The area looks like a

sleazy flea market. Ironically, the statue of Duke Kahanamoku and the

sidewalk memorials to our legendary surfers are hidden away by the

sales racks.

Consider the first-time tourists from all over the world: What do

they think when they see that ugly sight? Or the people in the

thousands of cars that drive by every hour? How many people are

deterred from visiting the city by the cheap sidewalk clutter on PCH

and Main? The city should imme- diately stop allowing this ugly

clutter on our public spaces.

Let’s take pride in our city and do everything we can to make it

more beautiful. The city deserves credit for the art and crafts

market, the farmers’ market at Pier Plaza and the outdoor restaurant

seating along Main Street. Those are steps in the right direction.

MARINKA HORACK

Huntington Beach