MAILBAG:

Recently, a number of false and deliberately misleading statements have been delivered to the citizens of Newport Beach, regarding the issue of whether our new city hall should be built within a small (three-acre) portion of the total city-owned, 12.8-acre site, adjacent to the main Newport Beach library in Newport Center.

These falsehoods have appeared in the forms of campaign signs, letters in the Daily Pilot, as well as circulars through the mail. I wish to set the record straight. Every single one of the objections has been addressed and countered in detail!

Even though the land to which we are referring was originally dedicated as open space with a 4-acre park allowed some time ago, circumstances have changed.

In all these years nothing has been done about developing a park, nor in the meantime, have we been successful in finding a truly suitable location for a new city hall.

There are a total of 12.8 acres in Newport Center Park, and the new city hall as it is currently planned would take only three, still leaving almost 10 full acres for a lovely park. Be sure to see the wonderful, four-color rendering of the plan, bearing in mind that this area of the city already has an overage of “passive” park acreage, according to the recreation element of the city’s General Plan.

The city already owns the land, eliminating an $8 million expenditure, which would have to be incurred with the purchase of another parcel, and eliminating “phasing” (the expensive process of having to relocate people and equipment during construction), which would be necessary if we were to try to rebuild on the existing site. Additionally, there has been talk that building within the park would be more costly due to engineering issues — also untrue!

We have a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to create an actual civic center, by building our new city hall adjacent to the main Newport Beach library. The plan also includes much-needed additional parking for the library’s many valuable programs. Not to mention how much more likely it is that Newport Center Park would be used when it is part and parcel of an entire complex, rather than being off by itself, bordered by two major thoroughfares.

A few residents have expressed concern about possibly losing the exquisite view. There is absolutely no need for worry on that score. The landform will be modified to create a lower terrace for the City Hall, so that the highest point will be below the view plane from MacArthur Boulevard and the homes in Harbor View Hills.

Last is the issue of traffic. The entrance would be off of Avocado Avenue near Farallon Drive, where traffic would not be a problem, and stop lights could be watched and actually controlled by live people in real time, by a new city program. Concerning potential traffic, be aware that the alternative site, 500 Newport Center Drive, is also in Newport Center — hence the street name!

Now is your chance to be pro-active about your community. Exercise your citizen’s right. On Feb. 5, vote yes on Measure B!

WENDY BROOKS

Agreed: Time Warner not consumer-friendly

I would like to add my comments to those writing to complain about Time Warner Cable’s lack of customer service.

I wrote letters to the CEO and to customer service to request a senior discount of my bill, as I had received a discount from the former cable service.

I did not receive a reply from either letter, so I then attempted to send an e-mail to their website, but the requested information for a topic, and subject disappeared when I entered the information, and the e-mail could not be sent, even after several attempts.

I sincerely believe that it is programmed to not accept e-mails. I am very frustrated, and I agree with the other complainants that Time Warner Cable is not consumer-friendly.

What can be done about this non-service when we are stuck with only one cable supplier?

ELEANORE TRIGHER

Costa Mesa