Willow Glen Resident
Letters & Opinions
Speak Out
Legion and Alano Club
have long way to go
It appears as though the Alano Club West and the American Legion, both on Minnesota Avenue in Willow Glen, have something in common: being less than desirable neighbors to the surrounding residents.
Each is trying to establish solid footing with the city in terms of having proper operating permits. Each serves the public in useful ways. Yet each has been a lousy tenant in terms of respecting the needs of those living close by, and each is full of excuses and accusations as to why they behave the way they do.
Even if these two clubs do comply with current code requirements, what, if anything, is going to be done to control the conduct and the attitude of the members? And will the city really enforce the conditions of the use permits? A whole lot of us hope so.
Honor Spitz
Willow Glen
Prop. 36 to blame for
many of the problems
The Alano Club West is a nonprofit membership organization with a charter to provide a safe place for recovering alcoholics to meet in a social setting free from the exposure to alcohol and drugs. This place is desperately needed. We have been here since 1976. Our membership is welcome to use their club facility within the guidelines set down by the club's board.
Unfortunately, as happens in business sometimes, issues with city requirements are not easily understood or responded to properly. The club is working diligently with a new board, key members and a new attorney to remedy all of the issues on the table. It is not just the neighborhood relationships that we are concerned with; we are also resolving the compliance issues.
We cannot undo the past boards' lack of understanding or expertise at dealing in such matters; we can and are complying now, however. The Alano Club rents a meeting room to various small groups in the 12-step programs each day on a regular basis. The rent collected is not much but is a significant portion of what allows us to keep the lights on and the coffee available. Unfortunately, the court of public perception has recently been swayed against us.
Since the passage of Proposition 36 in 2000, the courts have sent thousands of people to Alcoholics Anonymous as an alternative to sentencing. This is very significant because those people are often resentful people with questionable behavior and motives and are not part of our membership. They come to the property because the court sent them to AA.
The obnoxious behavior recently discussed at San Jose Appeals Board hearings and community meetings, regarding our neighbor complaining during a noise disturbance and being treated abusively, took place well over a year ago. The member who was obnoxious to the neighbor has been removed. Since then, all functions with any music are held offsite at parks. Long ago, we ceased having functions outdoors on the property out of respect and concern for our neighbors.
The Alano Club has attempted to apologize to the neighbor, and I am told the neighbor would not listen. We are still trying to regain the respect of the neighbor. The incident of someone urinating in a nearby driveway of a business was not one of members.
Maybe if the courts would change some of the sentencing alternatives and stop overloading us with non-members who don't care to address their problems, we could get back to normal around here.
E. Kelly
Willow Glen
Clarification
In our Oct. 18 endorsement of District 3 city council candidate Sam Liccardo, we may have misstated his position on labor's influence at city hall. In reference to a Starbucks or other food service at city hall, he said that when city subsidies are involved, the city has an obligation to ensure that workers are fairly compensated. He said that in some contexts, labor peace agreements may be the appropriate way to accomplish those goals, but that he believed such an agreement was not the most effective way to bring businesses to city hall and ensure fair compensation.
