I have been in this part of California since 1940 and in Saratoga the past 35 years. So I have witnessed the enormous growth in the valley, and the need for parks and open space.

I have been following the Kevin Moran Park dispute for some time, but had never seen the park until today (March 16). I was very impressed. My conclusion is that the park should be left as it is. Period.

I understand one plan is to remove all the trees and convert this rare site into soccer and playing fields (I understand one of the trees was dedicated to David Otterberg--is the tree and the dedication to be ignored?). Personally I think the citizens of Saratoga should first visit the park, then have the option to vote on the alternatives come the June election already containing the North Campus issue.

Robert Wallace

Foothill Lane

Officiating at state
tourney disappointing

I am writing as a concerned citizen and sports enthusiast. My friend and I drove from Los Gatos to Fresno on March 11 to support [West Valley Community College] and to watch some quality junior college basketball. We had heard great things about Fresno City College, as well as other teams in the tournament.

Most disappointing was the job of the referees. These referees who were at the San Francisco-West Valley game No. 1 on Saturday were again chosen to referee the Fullerton-West Valley championship game on Sunday. It was the most lopsided refereeing I've seen in my history of watching basketball. They made calls before there was even a semblance of a foul, and then they were wrong. They bullied the players by laughing after making their calls, and they were in general very bad. These junior college kids worked hard to get to the state championship, and the least the tournament could do is provide sound referees.

I didn't care who won the tournament. I just wanted to see good basketball. The first men's game on Saturday was just boring and excruciating to watch due to the poor and inaccurate refereeing. The second game on Saturday was exciting and well refereed.

Therefore, imagine our surprise and dismay on Sunday. Fullerton fans and West Valley fans alike were disgusted to see the same three incompetent referees who had made so many controversial calls in Saturday's first game.

I have coached basketball, and I understand the game; WVC was robbed, and it's a shame.

As a woman with a marketing background, I'm always looking at how businesses and events are put together, and I am always thinking about ways to improve these businesses and events. With this quality of refereeing, I don't see very much success in this tournament's future.

Maggie Goodson

Los Gatos

Concerns over changes
to Kevin Moran Park

I have some questions and concerns about the proposed Kevin Moran Park development that I would like to express as follows:

1) Cost--It worries me greatly that the $400,000 allocated for the development of KMP is not nearly enough to cover everything that is shown in the plan: a full-sized soccer field, parking lot, bathrooms, landscaping, tennis court, bocce court, basketball court, picnic areas, turf, moving the pathway, moving the path lighting and more. I cannot believe that all this can realistically be done for $400,000.

Before any plan is approved, a full and complete cost analysis for all the elements included in the plan should be presented to the city council and residents. No development should be done until this cost analysis is reviewed and accepted by the residents. If the cost is going to exceed the $400,000, then I want to know where the money is coming from before development is started on any portion of the proposed plan.

2) Eagle projects--There are two Boy Scout Eagle projects that reside in KMP. There were three, but the city already destroyed one. I would like the city to ensure that the proposed development will not displace the two remaining projects, negating the work done by many scouts.

3) Maintenance costs--The city of Saratoga is now a minimum-services city, as we all know. The development of KMP will increase the cost of maintaining this park. What are the current maintenance costs, and what are the estimated maintenance costs for the developed park? I would like to see this cost detailed out. To say that maintenance will be covered is not enough. I want to see the actual numbers for the current and the developed park.

4) Redwood grove--In looking at the plan, I believe that the redwood grove surrounding the Kevin Moran Park sign is preserved. Can this be verified?

Teresa Lorenzen

Northampton Drive

Kevin Moran Park issue
should go to the voters

After listening to the ongoing debate about development of Kevin Moran Park, I suggest the issue of organized sports in our parks be decided by a vote of the entire community. After all, if there were just one or two different-thinking members of the current city council, AYSO and CYSO could very well be told that the city is not in the business of redoing our parks to satisfy the demands of organized sports corporations. The city would suggest that AYSO and CYSO lobby school districts for use of their playing fields, parking lots and bathroom facilities. The council would say that organized sports belong in our schools, not in our parks. But what does the community say? Let's find out--put this issue, along with North Campus, on the ballot.

Patricia Bailey

Foothill Lane