Los Gatos Weekly-Times

Letters

Councilmembers didn't deserve to be attacked

I was present at the Town Council meeting April 1. As a longtime resident of the town, I was embarrassed and disappointed with the way the opponents of Measure C were treating the members of the council. These people were suggesting that members of the council are unethical, dishonest and so out of touch with the wishes of the people that the council should resign.

Although I don't always agree with the views of councilmembers, they do listen to and consider all viewpoints before rendering their decisions. They are honest, hardworking and professional. I feel lucky to live in a town with such a distinguished council.

After a heated election over Measure C, it is time for both sides to stop the namecalling and use their energy in a positive way to solve the problem at hand, balancing the town's budget. I am confident that the council will find a solution to the town's budget problems.

Peter B. McMorrow

Los Gatos

Local merchants help out school with donations

There are many factors that make Los Gatos High School a great school. One of them is the support that we receive from local merchants. I would like to especially acknowledge three who have, without hesitation, helped us out this year.

The efforts of the Key Club to brighten the holiday season with flower arrangements for the elderly residents of a local convalescent home would have been impossible without the generous donation of flowers from The Flower Garden, and the donation of plastic containers to use as vases from Richard's Health Foods.

Several weeks ago, Lunardi's donation of 25 large delicious apples helped provide lovely (and tasty!) centerpieces for our districtwide curriculum day.

I tell my students that Americans vote not only at the polls but with their dollars. Merchants like these deserve our vote. It is so easy to say no to requests of this type (some merchants did!). Thanks to these three for saying yes.

Vicki Wendell, teacher

Los Gatos High School

School district should take a bold step

Why does Los Gatos Union School District need a superintendent and an assistant superintendent?

What do they do that requires two of them?

You almost never see assistant CEOs in the real world of business. Not only would they be an unnecessary luxury, but there are some other very good reasons why they are not there. To be effective, CEOs must be hands-on managers, in touch with employees, customers, products, services and financial-performance measures.

They do not need someone to buffer them, block access to them or elevate their importance. How about LGUSD taking a bold step and have one person do a one-person job?

Ray C. King

Monte Sereno

Veterinary clinics should help with feral cats

I have worked in the veterinary profession for 15 years and have known Ann Mitchell for almost 10 years. During this time, I have helped her feed feral cats all around the Los Gatos- Monte Sereno area.

Ann Mitchell has devoted an enormous amount of time, money and effort in caring for these hapless animals. She brings the sick or injured cats to various veterinary facilities for treatment. At our hospital alone, she has spent hundreds and hundreds of dollars not only for treatment and vaccines, but on spaying and neutering as well--hoping to help eradicate the feral population that has been disregarded in the area.

In addition to these efforts, she also spends a large amount of time placing these cats and their unfortunate kittens in loving homes. I myself have adopted one of these animals.

I have been to Ann's house off and on continually over the years and have never seen any signs of abused, sick, or neglected animals.

Ann Mitchell would never intentionally hurt anybody or anything, and she certainly isn't out intentionally breaking laws. She has only been trying to take care of a problem that the cities should be taking care of themselves. I believe, given more time, help, and less harassment, Ann could find homes for more of the cats currently residing in her home. There are so many veterinary hospitals in the district that if each hospital charitably took one cat to put up for adoption, Ann would be free--free to put all the anguish of the last year behind her and to start a new life.

In my opinion, the only thing that Ann Mitchell might be guilty of is possessing a heart too big, a wallet too small, and receiving an inordinate amount of bad luck.

Lisa J. Whitstone

Los Gatos

New structure is atrocious

I agree wholeheartedly with the letter in the April 17th issue of the Los Gatos Weekly-Times which deplored the atrocious building on the corner of Blossom Hill Road and Los Gatos Boulevard. It is, indeed, ugly and inappropriately placed on the lot.

I grew up in this neighborhood and have lived there off and on for 20 years, and I, too, miss the view of the mountains from the intersection.

Also, rumored plans to reduce the number of lanes along Los Gatos Boulevard to allow something commercial, in the median strip or on the sides, are ludicrous. I hope I did not understand this rumor correctly.

All we are going to get is more chain stores owned by outsiders to our community--what a pity to waste a perfect view of the mountains for another unnecessary video store!

Muffet Brown

Los Gatos

Does Green Valley use Hollywood as its accounting model?

Green Valley Disposal's latest proposal to increase its pickup rates by 37 percent is so typical of public utilities in California that, were it not a local Los Gatos matter, I would hardly have noticed.

A strong proponent of recycling, I was tolerant when my rates more than doubled last year. I thought, "If it will help remind people to recycle and thereby keep the planet a little cleaner, it's worth it!" Fool me once, shame on you, etc.

It would be interesting to turn Green Valley's books over to five randomly chosen CPAs in the area, to see whether Green Valley's accounting methods jibe with generally accepted accounting principles. I'd make book on the outcome. Where did Green Valley learn its accounting methods? From the motion picture industry?

Robin McMullen

Los Gatos, RobinMcM@aol.com

Opinion Policy

The Weekly-Times strives to present a full spectrum of community opinion on these pages. Letters to the editor, commentary pieces and cartoons reflect the opinions of their authors and do not necessarily reflect the editorial opinion of the Weekly-Times.

Letters to the Editor

The Weekly-Times welcomes letters comment-ing on its coverage and on topics of local interest. Be sure to sign your letter, and please provide your address and daytime phone number so we can reach you in case of questions. We encourage letters to be a maximum length of 250-300 words.

Letters can be sent via email to lgwt@vval.com.

The Weekly-Times reserves the right to edit letters for length and clarity and to correct factual errors known to us.

Deadline is Wednesday.