Los Gatos Weekly-Times

Letters

Half-truths and innuendoes hurt reputations

In response to the unsolicited letter from Citizens FOR Monte Sereno asking for our support, let us be firm in our reply of "No, thank you." Their innuendoes and half-truths do much to damage the reputations of elected officials and city staff who are following the will of the people.

Perhaps their vision of Monte Sereno is one where no progress--which they refer to as "change"--is made, but we believe that change is inevitable and must be planned for as well as accommodated. In life there is no such thing as maintaining status quo; one either progresses forward or falls behind.

Perhaps these naysayers should be the ones reprimanded. Had they properly prepared for the future by imposing growth guidelines and income-producing plans in the past, we would not be faced with such a severe forecast today.

But rather than affix blame, as this group is want to do, we side with the City Council and city staff by supporting planning for the future, preservation of our history and managed growth of the city.

The anonymous letter makes reference to the salary of our city manager as if it were a fortune. Considering the salaries managers make in the private sector, it's surprising that anyone would take on the burdens of the city manager's job, along with its detractors, for such minimal compensation.

Rather than make a cowardly, unnamed attack on our government, we would urge those calling themselves Citizens FOR Monte Sereno to work within the confines of our system. We urge them to take their grievances before the council, and ultimately the voters, to seek change.

June and Michael Schultz

Monte Sereno

mickeyj@eworld.com

City Council ignored wishes of Calvary neighbors

The residents on Robie Lane need to make a few corrections to the Jan. 24 article in the Los Gatos Weekly-Times that stated the Town Council overrode the Planning Commission's decision to deny Calvary Baptist Church its expansion plan. This statement is correct. What is incorrect is the impression given that Robie Lane neighbors agreed to the singular compromise of angling the massive building back at one corner only.

For the record, there were not weeks of meetings between neighbors and architect Sal Caruso, but rather, one 11th-hour meeting, orchestrated by architect Sal Caruso, one week prior to the Town Council hearing. At that time, Mr. Caruso attempted to persuade the neighbors to sign a statement of agreement with a compromise that they couldn't live with.

For the record, the multipurpose building is still 30 feet high with a small 14-foot-wide buffer building facing Robie Lane. The plans still call for the demolition of a residential home and the placement of a parking lot in a residential neighborhood.

Finally, we do not agree to compromises that allowed the Los Gatos Town Council to approve the church's master plan. How could we agree to the deterioration of our residential environment?

Bill and Vera Pierce

Robie Lane