Los Gatos Weekly-Times

Letters

Dairy commentary contained many factual errors

Like many, I am stunned to read Melvin J. Hulme's opinion piece in the Oct. 23 issue of the Los Gatos Weekly-Times. The danger of the piece is that many of your readers might assume some of what he said is accurate.

For example, he scares us about liability and pesticide management. No city and no resident of Monte Sereno, Los Gatos or Saratoga will incur any liability; all responsibility will be assumed by the Claravale Dairy Preservation Foundation Inc., a registered nonprofit staffed by local citizen volunteers.

And pesticides are not a danger precisely because no pesticides have ever been used at Claravale since its founding in 1927. No pesticides will be used. And the dairy remains a profitable business without them.

Ron Garthwaite
Claravale Dairy

Citizens FOR Monte Sereno just want less interference

In response to the editorial of Oct. 9 issue of the Los Gatos Weekly-Times, I offer the following comments:

The Citizens FOR Monte Sereno Committee is not "defunct." The letter of the group prompted more than 300 responses from residents who also had concerns. The mayor responded to most of the questions but provided few answers. The committee continued trying to get answers. In the meantime, part of the problem went away when the city hired a new city manager. The committee has taken a wait-and-see-position on the new manager.

The historical preservation project is a big issue. Historical preservation is a noble cause that affects other people by devaluating their property. Some owners take pride in their historical designation and can afford to pay the price. Others cannot. Perhaps the preservation committee and the city could come up with an incentive that would benefit both preservation and the property owner. Taxpayers should have some say in these decisions.

An example is the Peake Dairy. Once declared historical, the group trying to buy it should pay full market value. But if the group doesn't buy it, and the property goes on the commercial market, the value of the property will decrease by thousands of dollars. That is not fair. Mr. Peake should not be the goat.

State mandates are not new.

The planning ordinances have served the city well. There has never been an "anything goes mentality" and one is not suggested. But there must be a limit to how much the city tightens the screw. Too much requires extensive patrol and enforcement and drastically affects property rights. The people who are referred to in the editorial as "people with more money than taste" have helped keep Monte Sereno a healthy, thriving community and should have the same rights and privileges as all others. Remember, tastes differ and cannot be legislated.

Rosemary Pierce
Monte Sereno

Hutchins wants to make downtown another San Jose

Jan Hutchins' focus is on business development and not on keeping Los Gatos the way it is. His association with the Los Gatos Roasting Co., an establishment which I frequent, would put him into a conflict of interest with any ordinance, permit, approval or discussion dealing with business or land use put before the Town Council.

He has consistently raised the issue of communication in his discussions and writings. The only communication problem that seems to exist is with people who do not hear the message from the citizens and residents of Los Gatos--Leave the town alone!

In his survey, he took a cheap shot at the "hysterical" preservation commission. To me, it showed his allegiance to those who would like to turn downtown Los Gatos into downtown San Jose.

Finally, there are two registered voters in this household. Why is it that only I, the registered Democrat, received a survey? Is he practicing a well-known survey data-acquisition trick? I asked him to address this question at the League of Women Voters forum on Oct. 24. I will be there and interested in hearing to what demographics the survey was directed.

Chuck Catania
Los Gatos

Mandate of the people was to cut expenditures

Linda Lubeck's defense of her position on the utility tax in the Oct. 23 issue of the Los Gatos Weekly-Times is disingenuous at best. Prior to the decision to approve the tax without a public vote, the council held several public forums for the specified purpose of asking the voters what to do about the budget shortfall.

Those in attendance gave the council a clear mandate: Do not raise taxes, do not cut services, but do cut expenditures.

The council's decision to ignore that mandate, and the manner in which they maneuvered to avoid a public vote on the issue, has tainted the ethical stature of the members.

That has left a bad taste which, for many, overshadows the tax itself.

Dale R. Evans
Los Gatos

Hutchins thinks all would be well if we all got along

Thanks for "Breaking the Silence," a compelling exposé in the Oct. 16 issue of the Los Gatos Weekly-Times. It was well-written, informative and without bias. To my great surprise, I was dumbfounded to read the comments by candidate Jan Hutchins.

In the first question posed to him, Hutchins responds from the "Karl Marx Playbook." Asked, "What is the most important issue facing the town, and what should the council do about it?" he responds, "It is the development of wiser, more loving, respectful, more involved and responsible citizens."

He continues this big-government public-service announcement by stating: "Processes should be in place to remind citizens and public officials about the ideals we stand for and the high standards we expect from one another."

Processes? Mr. Hutchins, what on earth are you taking about? Remember just this about government processes: They take twice as long to implement as planned; they cost twice as much as originally planned; and they don't work when finally implemented, if ever.

Mr. Hutchins, you are running for Town Council, not Sociologist General.

Your comments reflect an outmoded and impotent belief that everything would be better "if we could just get along." The job of a councilmember, and that of our elected state and federal officials, is to figure out how best to stay the hell out of our business. I'm puzzled to know where you'd attempt to see the effects of your social engineering, and how you'll gauge your success on a hypothetical wisdom/ kindness/responsibility index.

Tim Nelson
Los Gatos

Gambord wants to be captain of ship aimlessly afloat

Monte Sereno City Hall suffers from an attitude problem?

It's Joel Gambord who has the attitude problem and not the Monte Sereno council. Councilmembers have been very open and have been responsive to the needs of the Monte Sereno residents. From my experience in dealing with City Hall, I was impressed that the council took the time to thoroughly review all sides of an issue before making a decision.

Mr. Gambord should look at his attitude before he starts attacking Mayor Nancy Hobbs.

I have followed his conflict with the city in the Los Gatos Weekly-Times and have read his letters sent to all the residents. Mr. Gambord did not get his way remodeling his house, so he wants to attack city government by "tweaking the rudder by 20 or 30 degrees."

Besides not getting his way, he also wants to be the captain! Monte Sereno is not a playground or his private pond, but a city that needs good guidance from people who care about improving the quality of life for all the residents today and in the future.

Mrs. Hobbs and the other councilmembers have demonstrated their thoughtfulness about such issues. Changing government to reflect the past as Mr. Gambord has suggested in his letters shows me that he is in the past. The rapid changes and growth in Santa Clara Valley have brought wealth and prosperity into our community. Changes also came to Monte Sereno. We need people who can manage change and not dwell on the past. Monte Sereno needs councilmembers who will lead us into the future and not those who steer us aimlessly at sea.

Ben Fong
Monte Sereno

Monte Sereno never intended to buy a dairy

With reference to Melvin J. Hulme's opinion piece in the Oct. 23 issue of the Los Gatos Weekly-Times, let me assure your readers that the city of Monte Sereno has no intention of buying the Claravale Dairy.

The city made a one-time contribution which helped to hold the option open until a nonprofit committee could be formed to try to save the dairy.

The city could not afford to buy the dairy at any time; such a purchase would seriously deplete its reserves. Also, although some citizens would have liked to have seen the city take over the dairy, even if it have been affordable, that would have been an inappropriate project for our small city.

Dorothea Bamford
member, Monte Sereno City Council

Toll House vote proves council ignores people

Twenty-two thousand, five hundred dollars, Yes, that is $22,500. That is what our Town Council just approved as an expenditure to see if they want to sell a prime parcel in the central business district. I thought we elected councilmembers who could think for themselves. It's such a simple two-letter response--NO. No public land is for sale to benefit private enterprise. And if it was expendable, we would use it to provide much needed parking relief.

Staff thinks we should sell it, and for what? To bring in more tax revenue. Why? To pay staff salaries of course.

The Toll House wants to buy the land and put in 35 more rooms. Do they think that a previously bankrupt hotel is capable of attracting 13,000 more guests? I don't think so. The place is just downright ugly. What a waste of money. Again and again, another expensive study. Who wants the 13,000 more tourists? I wish we had a town manager who knew what the town folks want. This is not a city, Mr. Knapp. We want a way of life, not 13,000 more tourists. Who are you to favor this other than our employee? I think we have clearly told you enough is enough.

Mr. Knapp, please stop yanking the nose rings of our councilmembers who do not have enough backbone to say no to another staff proposal for yet another expensive study report.

I highly recommend we vote out future incumbents to Town Council and vote in challengers like Hutchins, Jensen and Jones who, hopefully, will be strong enough to say no to staff who cry wolf (financial crisis), yet find $22,500 for their own self-serving ways.

Larry Arzie
Los Gatos

Council foes want to fix something that's not broken

I would like to address the anti-government tone in the literature and positions of two of the candidates for Town Council.

I have owned my home in Los Gatos for 22 years and appreciated the ambiance of this town throughout this time. The dedication to education has provided our children with schooling few other communities can match in the Bay Area. The quality of our diverse and vibrant business community provides all our citizens with goods, services and recreational opportunities second to none. Our streets and neighbors are safe, and we have an urban forest and park service other communities envy. Our property values remain high. Los Gatos is obviously doing something right.

Some voices in this campaign, however, would have us believe we are going to hell in a hand basket. They would have us discount our achievements to return to a time of "better government." Well, I remember those times, and my recollection is that of utter chaos and confusion on the Town Council, and divisiveness within the community.

We have had a period of calm and compromise with the current Town Council. I have not agreed with every decision of this council, but I think the decisions have been taken seriously. To disrupt this processes would be an odd and illogical move.

Had Councilmember Pat O'Laughlin been able to physically accomplish the rigors of council participation, this would be an election directed toward moving our community forward and not focused on moving it back.

I hope all Los Gatans with a sense of pride in our community and a vision for what we have yet to accomplish will vote next week to reinforce our strengths and maintain our character.

Joe Pirzynski
Los Gatos

Admiral Inglis would object to campaign signs

Thank you, Los Gatos Weekly-Times, for your fine editorial of Oct. 9 on Monte Sereno's coming City Council election.

Joel Gambord's Oct. 23 letter criticizing the editorial is just more angry foot-stomping at his disappointment in not getting his own way during the restoration of his historical Steinbeck house.

Being denied a variance is hardly reason to seek a seat on the City Council. We could only hope that, if elected, he would devote as much time and energy to solving other people's problems (the City Council's job) as he has in trying to solve his own.

Mr. Gambord states that, "We are not unaware of state and federal mandates." We being the three unhappy candidates. Why then are they not aware of the state law prohibiting the posting of signs on a California State Scenic Highway? All three have illegally posted campaign signs along Saratoga-Los Gatos Road. (Guys, that's what those little "poppy" signs mean.) As to the proposed return to the good old days of the easygoing Admiral Inglis, Gambord should be thankful Inglis isn't still mayor. He would probably have them all thrown in the brig.

Rodger Graham
Monte Sereno

Opponents wage campaign of rumor and innuendo

I'm endorsing Egon Jensen and Frank Jones, and I hope you'll consider voting for them. Over the last year, I was the only councilmember to fight against the attempt to increase your taxes as a means of balancing the town's budget. When it became apparent that it was a losing battle, I fought to make sure you had the opportunity to vote on the issue.

When the public vote eventually came, 62.8 percent of us shared a vision of a smaller, more efficient, less intrusive government. Egon Jensen and Frank Jones also share that vision.

When I first ran for council in 1990, I pledged to serve only two terms. Egon and Frank will represent an important point of view after I am no longer on the council.

The two candidates I have chosen not to endorse have engaged in a campaign of innuendo, rumor, distortion and ad hominem attack against Egon, Frank or myself, even though I'm not a candidate. This extensive personal assault has been waged verbally, in newspapers and in their campaign materials.

Rather than attack the other candidates personally, I'd like to examine their records and their campaigns.

One candidate has said his chief purpose is to bring unity to the council and the community, yet he has already attempted to sow dissension between myself and my council colleagues.

The other engaged in ad hominem attacks. Both base their remarks on my endorsement of their opponents, but neither has objected to receiving the endorsement of another councilmember.

Both now camouflage their attempts to raise your taxes, and one assiduously avoids discussions of issues.

If you share the vision of a smaller, less intrusive, more efficient government, then I hope you'll join me in voting for Frank Jones and Egon Jensen.

Steve Blanton
member, Los Gatos Town Council

Lorrie Wernick deserves vote for school board

I endorse Lorrie Wernick for trustee in the Los Gatos-Saratoga Joint Union High School District.

I've known Lorrie for more than 25 years, first as a parent. She worked in the resource program with my son, who is now 22 years old. He made great progress with her genuine care. She had a special talent that seemed to encourage firmly, but at the same time, accept nothing less than what she knew he was capable of obtaining.

I've also had the opportunity to work with Lorrie on a professional basis. She was a resource teacher at my school for several years.

As a professional, Lorrie is objective, very well-organized and cares deeply for all the students and the staff. Even under impossible circumstances, she always gets the job at hand done. She implemented the new science framework at our school and trained other teachers from several different districts.

She organized and ran my school's first program-quality review, which was a huge undertaking. She has been a speech therapist, tutor, resource teacher, mentor teacher, science cooperator, vice principal and principal. She has been school foundation president, served on numerous PTAs, was a home and school representative and organized many Lakeside School auctions, where thousands of dollars were raised for my public school.

Susan Knipe
teacher, Lakeside School

Linda Lubeck had the courage to be a representative

For the record, Linda Lubeck is the only Town Council member who voted against my appointment to the Los Gatos Planning Commission.

Consequently, my support of her re-election bid can hardly be considered repayment of a political favor.

Rather, I urge fellow Los Gatans to keep her on the council because she is honest, intelligent and hard-working and is dedicated to the greatest good for the greatest number of Los Gatans. Moreover, she understands the complexities of local government in this era of declining municipal revenues and increasing administrative burdens on cities and counties.

She knows Los Gatans elected her four years ago to make decisions for them. That's what being on the council is all about--making decisions based on your best judgment, even when those decisions may be unpopular in some quarters. That's why she was willing, as a councilmember, to vote for a utility-users tax when the politically safe thing would have been to toss that hot potato to the electorate.

As events developed, a state Supreme Court decision made the issue of a council vote moot, and Los Gatos voters rejected the utility tax.

But it does rankle me mightily to see some of Ms. Lubeck's opponents in this election characterize as arrogance her willingness to shoulder the burdens the voters handed her four years ago. Those who raise this "issue" either do not understand representative government or are cynically manipulative.

Incidentally, I support the election of Jan Hutchins to the council for largely the same reasons. His intelligence, integrity and dedication to the welfare of this community are beyond question.

The other two candidates offer only simplistic solutions to misperceived problems. These individuals appear not to understand that Town Hall cannot recapture yesterday.

Wes Peyton
Los Gatos

Gambord wants to get even by getting elected

After the Gambord, Harmon and Knight performance at the Monte Sereno candidate's forum, we have evidence that the Citizens FOR Monte Sereno is alive and kicking in the persona of three malcontents who contend they know what is best for those of us who have been oppressed and manipulated by our city government. (Give me a break!)

With them in office, we'd pull out stop signs, eliminate day care and build mansions on 8,000-square-foot lots.

Gambord has a vendetta against the city based on the impact city ordinances had on his home-reconstruction plans, and he'll get even by getting elected. Harman and Knight are being swept along as CFMS passengers. Together, they seem to be naive enough to thing they'll become omnipotent if they get elected.

The Gambord, Harmon and Knight consortium's ideas on city administration, expenses and zoning are naive and uninformed and would reverse decades of progress for our city. We don't need their kind of thinking or attitude in City Hall. We need sensible candidates like Nancy Hobbs and write-in candidate Dodie Tabari.

Bill Ferguson
Monte Sereno

Council letter proves how low members stoop

In the Oct. 23 issue of the Los Gatos Weekly-Times, we were shocked to see a letter to the editor signed by three of Monte Sereno's councilmembers that engaged in the type of scurrilous personal attacks and flagrant distortions that have until now been unknown in Monte Sereno.

The three of us are determined to maintain the high road in our campaigns. We are running against each other, and yet, we respect each other. We do not feel the need to tear each other down to promote ourselves. It is unfortunate indeed that the powers that be at City Hall are so terrified of losing their control over city government that they have stooped to engaging in these kinds of personal attacks and distortions of our positions. In their desperation, they have attempted to characterize us as simpleton candidates with a freewheeling, anything-goes posture bent on turning the city on it's ear. In addition, the letter also urges voters to fill only one of the two seats. This is an absolute outrage. We're certain the residents of Monte Sereno will take note of the pontificating, condescending attitude the letter reeks of.

Joel Gambord, Lillian Harman, Gordon Knight
Los Gatos

Children need Gail Schwartz

Gail Schwartz is running for a position on the Los Gatos Union School District Board of Education. She has an extensive background working in the schools and the community. She has chaired the Van Meter and Fisher school site councils and helped develop ongoing district-wide parent-teacher education programs.

Gail has worked tirelessly in the community on the Santa Cruz County Board for the Special Olympics. She is compassionate and passionate about our children and their education. She sill always listen, always discuss and always try to the best of her abilities and resounces to solve any problem presented to her.

Please support her with your vote on Nov. 5. Our children need her as their advocate.

Nikki Segall
Los Gatos

Lubeck serves the town well

Linda Lubeck is my choice for the Town Council. I have admired her actions and decisions at every council meeting.

I am pleased that Linda Lubeck chooses to serve the town of Los Gatos.

Shirley Henderson
Los Gatos Downtown Association Beautification chairwoman