Mailbag:

I join in the applause that Dave Kiff has been promoted to Newport Beach city manager (“Kiff gets a promotion,” Aug. 19).

We’re truly fortunate to have someone so thoughtful, innovative and energetic taking on this critical staff position in these challenging economic times. What a bonus that he is also intimately familiar with the city’s issues and has already proven his dedication to Newport Beach! In this case, “promotion from within” is a true win-win for our city.

My first opportunity to see Kiff in action was at a public meeting at the Back Bay Interpretive Center several years ago. Kiff listened intently and respectfully to a wide range of (generally unhappy) perspectives on the county’s oversight of the Back Bay, offering clear explanation of the pros, cons and costs of the city taking over the upkeep of this precious natural resource. Subsequently, he was instrumental in securing funding for the long-overdue dredging of the Back Bay and harbor, in many ways the culmination of devoting his efforts to improving water quality.

His problem-solving abilities have had a positive effect on other challenges faced by the city, among them the proliferation of drug rehabilitation homes.

Three cheers that Kiff’s value to our city has been endorsed after a nationwide search. His intelligence, creativity and even-handedness will serve us well as the city grapples with fallout from the state budget woes and declining property/sales taxes, and gears up for upcoming pension negotiations and construction of the new City Hall.

ANNIE GERARD

NEWPORT BEACH

Health-care reform, with relish

I hate to admit it, but the Obama heath-care-reform plan protesters are right.

While working my way through the 1,000-page document, I found the smoking cannon. There on page 666 — much to my dismay and surely to the horror of vegetarians everywhere — it clearly states: “Soylent Green is . . . seniors!” This addresses funding concerns regarding elder-care and feeding the poor, all at once. Could put a new spin on having dinner with the grandparents.

BILL THOMSON

COSTA MESA