Los Gatos Weekly-Times

Letters

Closed campus would help keep young people safe

Community Against Substance Abuse wishes to congratulate the Los Gatos Weekly-Times on two recent editorials. At last, an important issue within our community--the use and abuse of alcohol and drugs by our youth--is getting the attention it deserves.

The editorial of Aug. 21 addresses the need to close our high-school campus. It would make the restaurants happier. We would be protecting our students from injury while they exit the school to pick up lunch during the 30-minute lunch period. And it would also eliminate the possibility of students retreating to parts unknown to drink, smoke or get high, only to return to class unable to learn.

Yes, it is a logistical nightmare to both the school administrators and the Police Department. But we should still find a way. As you so aptly stated: "If closing the campus is as important as many seem to think it is, then the entire community will have to work together to make it happen." Count CASA in as a supporter of this plan.

The editorial of Aug. 28 addresses the issue of drug testing for the Los Gatos High School football team embarking on their new season with the opening of school. Again, we applaud your stand. CASA has long addressed the need for a uniform, school-wide, no-tolerance drug policy for all LGHS athletes.

This program is a solid start. We, too, agree: Parents are stepping up to voice their concerns, and the town must listen.

Thank you for highlighting these two issues. The desire is not to be punitive, but rather, to make the welfare of youth our No. 1 priority. And if we as a community don't do it, who will?

Kathie Friedland
CASA Chairwoman

It takes a community

Congratulations to the parents and to Los Gatos High School football coach Butch Cattolico, who are requesting that the varsity football team at Los Gatos High School be tested for drug use. If the players have already signed a pledge not to use drugs, alcohol or tobacco, then is it a problem to test for possible use?

It seems that it would only be considered a problem if they were guilty of this. They need not be concerned if, indeed, they have signed such a pledge.

It takes a community effort to let all of our citizens--teens or otherwise--understand that any drug use is unhealthy, and, as a community, we stand against it for all of the positive reasons for living a healthy lifestyle.

If those football players were to test positive for drug use, our community would be doing them a favor by getting them help. Yes, it takes a community like ours working together for the betterment of all of our citizens.

Janet Anderson
Co-founder of CASA

Los Gatos isn't 'Leave It to Beaverville'

I want to take issue with some quotes in the story about technology and the use of the Internet at Town Hall that ran in the Aug. 21 issue of the Los Gatos Weekly-Times.

Town Clerk Marian Cosgrove was quoted as saying: "We just don't have time to play games with it. We're busy."

I don't consider dispensing town information to be "playing games." And maybe if more information was put online, they would not be as busy.

Cosgrove added that she doesn't want to undergo any further training to learn how to post information online or store it on computers. In a normal business environment, this would be referred to as a "career decision." If the town staff doesn't want to stay current on modern business practices, we should find someone who will.

Cosgrove also suggested that Internet access wasn't really necessary since " ... it takes 10 minutes to come down here, get it, and go back, and then you have it in your hand."

Ten minutes! From where? The house next to the town offices?

This really shows how out of touch the town staff is. Most of us work and commute, usually leaving long before the town offices open and arrive home long after they have closed. Considering how congested the downtown is, if we had it online we would not have to add to that congestion or the air pollution or the parking problem.

In that same article, Town Manager David Knapp and Councilmember Joanne Benjamin said no one is sure how many people want to look at town documents on their computers.

Huh? Lets see; we live in the center of the computer world, a good portion of the population works in some manner in the computer industry; parking downtown is always a mess, and the town staff are "busy."

I realize these comments may seem harsh, but I keep hearing how council-members would like residents to get involved in the town government. The first item to get people involved is to inform them of what's going on. The Town Council and town staff need to realize that the residents no longer resemble "Leave It to Beaverville" with June Cleaver at home making pies and going into town to get council agendas.

If town leaders fail to recognize this, they can expect to see more fiascos like the utility tax that was "in the bag" and got shot down at the ballot box.

Dennis McCarney
Los Gatos

Merchants should scrub the sidewalks in front of shops

This is to add a second to the "Dirty and Disgusting" letter in the Aug. 28 issue of the Los Gatos Weekly-Times. I have been a resident of Los Gatos for more than 20 years and have seen the downtown gradually get dirtier with time.

Why can't the merchants scrub the sidewalk in front of their places of business at least once a week? It would not take more than 30 minutes.

When we were on tour in Turkey, we noticed that, in every city we toured, the merchants washed the sidewalk in front of their businesses first thing every morning. They had very clean sidewalks and streets.

If the Turkish merchants can do it every morning, why can't Los Gatos merchants do it at least once a week?

Edwin D. Sayre
Los Gatos

Talk to merchants about cleaning up

As beautification chairwoman for the Los Gatos Downtown Association, I would like to respond to George Pfleger's letter to the editor of Aug. 28 by agreeing once again (and again and again) that the sidewalks are filthy.

There is a town ordinance that states clearly that the maintenance of the area between the building and the street is the responsibility of the property owners. Just try to enforce it! That's as hard as enforcing the ordinance about not putting signs up all over town.

The Beautification Committee pleaded with the merchants to chip in to have the sidewalks steam cleaned on a regular basis. The cost would be about $30 per time per merchant. Only a dozen agreed. And always--only a dozen turn out to weed, plant, sweep and care for the trees.

Our town, due to budget cuts, has no one to take over these jobs that are the responsibility of the merchants, landlords, and the people who contribute to the filth. Architect Gary Schloh has been single-handedly caring for three of the planters on Santa Cruz Avenue.

The planters will be replaced by new concrete planters in the future --all new plumbing and planters--this is all part of the streetscape program, which will take years to complete.

Mr. Pfleger and anyone who agrees with his sentiment can help in a few ways. The letter was the beginning. Now personally go in and talk to the store owners. If you see any litter, pick it up. Pull a weed if you can.

Thanks for the letter. I hope the right people saw it.

I also wanted to mention that the areas that the town maintains, the Town Plaza, Oak Meadow Park, the parkways, etc., are always lovely.

Shirley Henderson
Los Gatos

Buffalo building isn't worth a public debate

The idea of having a public debate over the demolition of a structure on a privately owned piece of property is a lot like asking the public what clothes I should wear to work everyday.

Rebecca Morgan's letter in the Aug. 14 issue of the Los Gatos Weekly-Times failed to mention that Mr. Flick is saving the Puccinelli House, trees, patio, brick wall and the "Los Gatos Soda Works Building," as well as providing a parking lot on the remainder of the property. Parking that is greatly needed not only by the businesses along Main Street, but the Los Gatos Civic Center as well.

Ms. Morgan put the Buffalo Trading building in the same general terms as the old City Hall and/or the Lyndon Hotel. These structures were worlds apart in their architectural design, construction and historical significance.

The plan that Mr. Flick presents allows the town to attract more high-end retail and retail services on the east end of Main Street, which in turn will bring more foot traffic and more businesses. This new building and the restoration of all the improvements on the property will be a jewel in the crown of buildings along Main Street.

The new project provides for a strong link to the past in its design, and a strong and safe building for the future.

Tom Spilsbury
Los Gatos

Mudslinging reflects on state of town

The Aug. 28 letter to the editor in response to the town employees' pay raises is a sad commentary of our current political climate. Mudslinging between our employee groups will do nothing to solve our financial problems. What is even sadder is that both sides are right.

The police officers did go without a pay raise three years ago. To compensate, they negotiated successfully with the town to have their employees contribution to the Public Employes Retirement System be paid into the system by the town. It is standard for the employees to pay this portion of their benefits package. When looking at only the salaries of our police officers, they get paid far less than other jurisdictions that compare in size and tax base. Looking at benefits and salaries, they are right on the money.

Do I find fault in the obvious sarcastic tone of comments attributed to Randal Villata against one of his coworkers? No! I find fault in our current administration that to this day refuses to work toward a line-item budget and state fully, completely and honestly the salaries and benefits for the top managers of our town.

Carol Ann Weber
Los Gatos