Mailbag - March 14, 2002

The local election results were a mixed bag from my perspective, but

one thing stood out above all others -- the enormous “con” job done on

the Huntington Beach voters by the opponents of Measure HH.

What should have been an issue about corporate welfare became a bogus

tax issue that should have insulted the intelligence of most every voter

out there (obviously it didn’t).

I expected propaganda from AES Corp., self-serving taxpayer

organizations and paid shills. I am chagrined that the Republican Party

defended the power plant on this measure.

It is clear that AES bought their election result, and that it was

aided and abetted by an uninformed or easily duped electorate.

It points out the crying need for more objective voter education in

our city. We shouldn’t be making our decisions on local governance based

upon unscrupulous campaign politics.

TIM GEDDES

Huntington Beach

Thank you voters in the city school district

On March 5, the majority of voters in the Huntington Beach City School

District approved Measure DD, authorizing $30 million to repair,

modernize and upgrade classrooms in the district’s elementary and middle

schools.

On behalf of the board of trustees -- Shirley Carey, Robert Mann,

Catherine McGough and Brian E. Rechsteiner -- I offer my sincere

appreciation to the dozens of dedicated campaign volunteers who worked

tirelessly to inform the public, clarify issues, enlist support and

encourage citizens to exercise their right to vote.

I offer my assurance to the residents in the district that the board

of trustees intends to diligently monitor bond proceeds and insure that

they are used solely for their intended purpose: to provide our students

with the learning environment, resources and tools they need to develop

into productive citizens of the 21st century.

BRIAN GARLAND

President, Board of Trustees

Huntington Beach City School DistrictPrincipal of Edison High School

In time we can properly judge Lowenberg

This is in regards to Chief Ron Lowenberg. Historians tell us that in

order to accurately judge history, a period of time should lapse to allow

for a proper perspective of past events.

So it should be in regards to Lowenberg.

The council should concentrate on the future and use logic and reason

rather than prayer and superstition in electing the new chief.

JOHN BOAG

Huntington Beach

Lowenberg did his office justice

I wanted to say that I think Chief Ron Lowenberg has been a very good

chief of police.

I had the pleasure of meeting him several years ago and I do think he

has done well in his job. He seems to do it without having to be some

kind of “ego case” or a glory-hound. I don’t wish to get involved in all

kinds of things, but I do think that somebody, when he does a good job,

should be complimented for it.

ALBERT KARR

Huntington Beach

I have always found Chief Ron Lowenberg to be extremely supportive of

any programs that are in the prevention mode for young people. He’s

always been there to back our grants, to help with homeless issues and,

of course, he’s been very, very helpful with the high school students.

My position is Healthy Start coordinator at Ocean View High School.

I’ve been on the Anti-Crime Coalition Task Force since Lowenberg has been

chief in Huntington Beach. I’m also co-founder of Huntington Youth

Shelter and on the Ocean View School District Board of Trustees.

Again, I just feel that he has been very, very supportive of programs

to keep young people out of trouble.

CAROL KANODE

Huntington Beach

Ocean View School District Trustee

It is my opinion that Police Chief Lowenberg did an outstanding job

during his 13-year tenure in office.

He dealt with some difficult issues, not the least of which was the

“out of control” Fourth of July antics that rocked our city. Such

activity did not present our city in a favorable light to potential

residents, vacationers or beach visitors.

I also found Lowenberg to be involved with community activities. He

showed a personal and sincere interest in making the city a place to

enjoy and raise a family. We will miss Lowenberg, and now we must go

forward to find a replacement that also believes in “community policing.”

Ron, thank you for a job well done.

JOHN MCGOVERN

Huntington Beach

Bleaching is not the answer

I’d like to try to answer this question: “Should the sanitation

district board approve the plan to use bleach to disinfect sewage sent to

the ocean.” Answer: no, of course not. It’s 15% chlorine and is three

times stronger than regular household bleach -- and we all know how bad

that could be for our fish.

Also, mainly what this stuff is going to do is kill indicator

bacteria. In other words, it will erase Orange County Sanitation

District’s fingerprints from the scene of the crime. And also, it has to

have an hour of soak time.

When you put chlorine into the water, you don’t dump the chlorine in

the ocean, you treat your sewage with it and then you take it back out,

and then you dump your effluent. You don’t dump the chlorine along with

the effluent into the water.

Why not just build the infrastructure to comply with the federal Clean

Water Act without the waiver [the district now has that allows it to dump

partially treated sewage in the ocean]?

See, so it’s really just another ploy by the sanitation district to

avoid its responsibility.

JOEY RACANO

Huntington Beach