MAILBAG - Nov. 9, 2006

Smarting over ‘smart’ sprinklersThank you to the Daily Pilot for the excellent article and editorial about the “smart” sprinklers water-saving system and rebates offered in Newport Beach. This is a wonderful opportunity for area residents to do something good for our environment at little cost.

But I want to let readers who don’t live in Newport Beach know that the Mesa Consolidated Water District, which covers the city of Costa Mesa, is also offering a similar program with rebates up to $500 for eligible residential customers and $600 for eligible commercial customers to install smart sprinkler controllers. Go to www.mwdoc.com/SmarTimer.

Now, you might think I work for a smart-sprinkler manufacturer or something, but I don’t. I’m an Eastside resident, a board member of a small homeowners association and lastly a professional environmental planner. Our association has been investigating the rebate program and have been dismayed to find out that we may not qualify for any rebate assistance because we don’t already have an automatic controller system of some kind. Ours is the first condo complex ever built in Costa Mesa, before anything of this sort existed. A two-legged controller, called a gardener, controls our irrigation system. Because our little bit of heaven was built in the 1960s, we have more landscaped area than any typical “modern” development, and we’ve experienced all the problems smart sprinklers are designed to fix: over-watering, excess runoff, and stucco, sidewalk and pavement damage.

I’ve tried to contact the Orange County Municipal Water District, which is the ultimate sponsor of the sprinkler program and sets the criteria for eligibility, as yet to no avail. I’ll keep trying. But I ask, is it not absurd that the least water-efficient users are excluded from participating?

MARIE E. GILLIAM

Costa Mesa

Sheriff’s letter should not have runIt is very disappointing that the Daily Pilot would announce a policy on Nov. 2, that in order not to give anyone a chance to get in a last word too close to the election, it would not consider for publication any further commentary of a political nature before the election, and then publish Orange County Sheriff Mike Corona’s letter on Nov. 5. That letter was clearly of a political nature and designed to undermine Mayor Allan Mansoor’s candidacy.

It is no secret that the Daily Pilot desires to influence voters to vote for its endorsed candidates, but it is unfair to violate a published policy especially on Sunday, the most widely read day of the week, in an attempt to rebut Mansoor’s earlier letter in response to former Police Chief Dave Snowden’s comments regarding immigration enforcement.

Corona was misleading in his statements by failing to acknowledge that not all suspects arrested for major crimes in Costa Mesa end up in county jail and therefore would not be subject to Orange County’s screening for immigration status.

The Pilot did not state there would be any exceptions to its decision not to publish anything of a political nature after Nov. 2, yet it did so simply to bolster its endorsed candidates for Costa Mesa City Council. Dirty politics isn’t limited to political parties and candidates, but it certainly has no place in the press. One would hope the Daily Pilot would be above it.

ILA JOHNSON

Costa Mesa

Voting lines too long; machines too complexWe arrived home this very minute from a catastrophic voting experience and thought it best to describe this horror while it was fresh in our minds.

It took us almost one hour, standing in line outside of the Boys & Girls Club on Tustin Avenue, before we were even able to register our names at the polling place. Many of the people in line simply left before they were able to cast their ballots. Perhaps they planned to come back later, perhaps not.

Even in George Washington’s time, I’m sure, it was less difficult to vote. This new, electronic system is complex beyond comprehension. My poor wife spent 36 minutes inside the booth trying to fill out her ballot properly. The overseer finally allowed me to help her. What a colossal disaster.

There must be a better way.

What I disliked most about the whole affair was the supervisor telling me that we should vote absentee in the future. That is a very sad commentary on voting the American way.

BILL HODGES

Costa Mesa