Sounding Off:

On May 7 you ran a letter defending the Costa Mesa Senior Center without any indication that Arlene Flanagan, the writer, is the president of the board of the center (“Leece acts against welfare of seniors”).

I think that should have been noted with the letter.

In her first paragraph she quotes an obvious malcontent that you had previously published calling for staff firings, and then switches in the next paragraph to a diatribe against Councilwoman Wendy Leece.

Was she trying to show there was a connection when there certainly was not?

Leece is just as dedicated, if not more so, as any of the board members or the staff at the center.

Rather than acting against the welfare of the seniors, since she has been involved, we have seen many improvements as a direct result of her efforts.

These include: signs for the center; the Chronicle, the monthly center newspaper that is available online; senior serve menu online; street signs pointing out location of the center; and improved lighting, among numerous other things.

Most of the seniors I know are glad Leece asked the questions she has. They are nothing more than a request for information that should be available to all members without staff having to spend extra time to get it together.

It should be information kept up to date on a routine basis to indicate the performance of the center.

The center is a nonprofit organization and should be as forthcoming as other nonprofits.

The seniors I know feel that she has acted only in concern for our welfare and has done so in a most businesslike way.

The board’s and staff’s reluctance to be forthcoming has more to do with making fundraising difficult than Leece’s asking for information that should be available to each and every member or donor who requests it. Any donor of any significance would want to have this information.

AGNES DUBBERLY lives in Costa Mesa.