The Willow Glen Resident Letters WGNA board does a very good job of representing the community I would like to respond to the June E. Cooley letter ["WGNA board members should represent all," Feb. 3]. But first I should let you know that I am a newly appointed board member. Cooley's letter really shocked me! Does she have any idea what we do on a monthly basis? Does she know how many meetings Chris Cunningham attends? How much work boardmember J. Michael put into planning the Meridian planting? Patty getting a crosswalk on Willow? I can go on and on. Does June realize we are all volunteers with full-time jobs, families and very hectic lives? What more can we do if people don't attend meetings? We can't force people to get involved, nor do we want too. Our meetings are open to everyone, regardless of where you live, your age or race. Furthermore, we are a very diverse group and don't always agree on all the issues but we try to make the best decision for our community. Lastly, don't expect miracles from your Neighborhood group. It takes an entire town to make a difference. Helen Solinski Willow Glen Criticism of WGNA board sounds like case of sour grapes The Feb. 3 letter from June Cooley criticizing WGNA contained inaccuracies and was, in my opinion, harsh. The WGNA board has become more diverse in the past several years; this goal has been pursued, including the considerations of age (we range from 30s to 60s) and location (our homes dot the map of Willow Glen). Nonetheless, it is the attitude and commitment of the individual that carries the greatest weight when members are selected for the board. The nominating committee looks for positive individuals willing to be team players, and I hold those same values when I make appointments. June ran for the board last spring and was not selected. Could this be the source of her dissatisfaction? Regardless of the source, what must be corrected is her harmful assertion that unless you are a boardmember, any idea you may have stands little chance of acceptance. June made a suggestion for a project that the board did not want to take on, but this does not mean only boardmembers' ideas are realized. The idea of a beautification project at 280 and Meridian came from a non-boardmember. The requests for a stop sign at Willow and Camino Ramon arose from non-boardmembers. The present effort to start a WGNA email list was initiated by a non-boardmember. Streets selected for NASCOP were at the advice of non-board members. The WGNA newsletter came out this week and our members know that we have taken great care and time to list volunteer opportunities and to urge them to become involved. I personally spend hours of my time speaking with members and following up on their concerns. Just last month, June phoned and asked me to check on several streets for NASCOP, which I did. Her criticism is unfair and disheartening. Finally, on the subject of planning and land use issues, the allegation that the positions we take somehow do not reflect our membership is ludicrous. This board has been very careful to seek both sides of an issue. Sometimes it is the few that we have to represent because it is the lives of those few that will be so sorely affected by the decision being made. If we have been so remiss in hitting the mark, why haven't memberships dropped off, why haven't our members chastised us? On the contrary, renewals are going strong, our membership grows monthly, and there has been peace in our association. WGNA has prospered for 25 years because the people of Willow Glen recognize the importance of unity, of representation, of power in numbers. Disgruntled persons should think twice before they are so ready to publicly criticize those who volunteer their time and energy because they care about their community. I stand behind this WGNA board and I'm proud to be its president. Kris Cunningham WGNA President Award-winning mini-mansion just doesn't fit with rest of the neighborhood The idea that the big blue house that sits way back on its lot on Lupton Avenue in Willow Glen got an award for fitting into the neighborhood is ludicrous! ["WG architecture finds the future by preserving feel of neighborhood's past," Jan. 20] Was it the only one nominated? It's a very nice house to be situated on an acre or so somewhere, but it certainly does not "fit" the neighborhood. Au contraire, it sticks out like a sore thumb--like the oversized three-story saltbox built on Glenwood; the big gray house on Cherry with no garage. Is this another instance of the emperor's new clothes? K. Burnett J. Senkarik Willow Glen School district needs child-family advocate Shouldn't there be some sort of community resource/advocate who operates independent of the guidance/budget of SJUSD to help families like Joanne Cordova's know where to turn and find out what's available to them? Who acts in the best interests of the child? Lisa Marciano Willow Street Corrections In the Jan. 27 issue, The Willow Glen Resident inaccurately reported that River Glen Elementary School's bilingual immersion program was limited to one class per grade. In fact, three classes per grade level are offered from Kindergarten through grade three, and two are offered in grades four through eight. In last week's issue, The Willow Glen Resident inaccurately reported the age of a condemned pole-sign on the corner of Meridian Avenue and Willow Street. According to the organization Cal Neon Sign Co., the sign was constructed some time in the 1950s. The Resident also misidentified, in a photo caption, Ann Scales' job with the American Association of Retired Persons. She is the president of the Willow Glen chapter of that group. Helen Brown is the new director. [ Back to Contents Page | Willow Glen Resident Home Page | Archives ] This article appeared in the Willow Glen Resident, February 10, 1999. ©1999 Metro Publishing, Inc. All rights reserved.