The Cupertino Courier
Letters & Opinions
Speak Out
Superintendent does not deserve increased pay
Fremont Union High School District Superintendent Steve Rowley has requested an early renegotiation of his contract for more favorable conditions. The school board must now determine if his performance is deserving of an early new contract.
What appears to bwe most lacking in Superintendent Rowley is his ability or willingness to listen to what lower-level subordinates and parents have to say. In order for any organization to be most effective, it is essential to know about customer expectations and the difficulties subordinates have with delivering appropriate services to these customers. It is equally essential for an executive to communicate to both subordinates and customers that he values their opinions and cares about their needs. Such communication motivates superior employee performance and results in customer satisfaction.
There is ample evidence of Superintendent Rowley's lack of these essential communication skills. Asians have the greatest presence in our district. Yet his comments in the Wall Street Journal article and his rebuttal to its editor indicate a total lack of sensitivity and empathy with the Asian community, his biggest tax-paying customers. He neither has an understanding of why Asians put so much emphasis upon education nor comprehends why this is so beneficial to students and crucial to this nation's economic survival. His interactions with the Asian Americans Parents Association and the FUHS Foundation are at an all-time low, according to members. Bilateral communication with local school staff and teachers is almost nonexistent.
In proportion to the complexity of his district and the number of schools he manages, Superintendent Rowley is one of the highest paid and compensated superintendents in the state (data from Department of Education school report cards). In light of all these facts, how can the board consider his performance worthy of further compensation?
Frank Geefay
Cupertino
Development is too much, too fast, this writer believes
Thank you for Hugh Biggar's article on Toll Brothers/Vallco development referendums in the June 14 issue. The number of condos actually proposed along the quarter-mile Stevens Creek corridor, including the 137 multi-story variety the city council approved for Macy's back parking lot, is actually 1,000, not 100.
The Godzilla-quashes-Bambi lawsuit brought by Toll Brothers and Vallco against two young moms--one with a toddler--apparently is meant to stop the groundswell grassroots movement against haphazard rezoning from retail/commercial to very lucrative housing in Cupertino.
All these young women did to deserve this hellacious treatment is exercise their rights in a democracy by signing off on petitions signed by 20 percent of the registered voters in Cupertino--10,000 in all, as they were handed off to the city clerk.
It seems the city council majority, contrary to the wishes of their constituents, decided to hold the election a year sooner, as was requested so folks could see the massive scope of runaway overdevelopment as it changes the landscape, overcrowds schools and causes traffic jams.
For a preview of things to come, look at the high-density multi-story housing going up near Tantau on Stevens Creek and multiply until you hit 1,000. Condotino is alive and growing. Speak up now.
Ruby Elbogen
Cupertino
Blackberry Farm could
mean unfair competition
The city of Cupertino's staff is attempting to sell our elected council on pumping more tax dollars into developing Blackberry Farm. No matter which side of this matter you agree with, consider the question of: Why should the city of Cupertino, or any city, be involved in any business that collects tax dollars from product sales or charges for services that it has no business in offering for a fee? Allowing a city to compete with private businesses carries a very bad odor and should be considered unfair competition.
Blackberry today is in very sad financial health and an audit should be conducted by an independent third party.
Besides the obvious problems with this Blackberry campaign is the additional problem that we have to pick up further tax debt even though the asset serves a majority of non-residents.
Since the business community doesn't get to run our city (well, of course, except the developers), why should our tax dollars and elected officials allow this misguided condition to continue?
In closing, after a third party audit of Blackberry, suggest that the city-owned Sports Center would offer even more audited reasons why a city shouldn't be allowed to play business.
Bob Hendrickson
Mira Vista Avenue
Coyotes causing issues in
Monta Vista neighborhood
I live in Monta Vista near the intersection of Carmen Road and Scenic Boulevard. During the past few weeks, after dark I have noticed a coyote near this intersection. As I turn my car around the last corner toward home, the coyote rushes across the road, and takes refuge in the yard across the street. He was sighted in the exact same place a year ago.
This past week, two separate notices about missing cats have been placed on utility poles all around our neighborhood. I hope these cats will be found safely, but I am concerned that they have fallen prey to this coyote. I am urging all Cupertino residents to keep their precious pets safe by bringing them inside at dusk.
Hilary Lujack
Cupertino
