Letters

Monte Sereno does have an open-space group

I would like to comment on the article on Mr. Peake's dairy in the July 14 issue. It is stated there that the city of Monte Sereno has no committee devoted to open space matters. It does indeed!

As chairman of the all-volunteer Monte Sereno Open Space Advisory Committee I can vouch for its existence and viability. We were appointed by the Monte Sereno City Council and have been meeting regularly since last year. During this time we have identified a number of potential open-space sites and continue to explore further possibilities as well as funding sources.

We invite anyone with ideas for open space, trails and pathways to contact the Monte Sereno city staff at 354-7635.

Karl H. Sprick
Monte Sereno

Los Gatos seniors have it better than article suggested

In regard to the article by Sandy Sims on June 30, 1999 ["Age Wave"], I disagree with the statement that the Los Gatos Senior Center is hardly a senior center at all. No one person on the town's payroll may be responsible for an overall senior program, but Lynette Vega, senior program coordinator, knows what she is doing and does an excellent job. Her focal point is to serve Los Gatos seniors, and they do not slip between the cracks.

As mentioned in the article, the Los Gatos Senior Consortium serves the senior population with a variety of senior programs: walking, classes in line dancing, card games, meditation, water coloring, memoir writing, trips, speakers on subjects that are interesting to seniors and lunches three Wednesdays a month, with the cooperation of the Nutrition Center, for a minimal amount. The Health Place and activities are limited to the size of the building.

As a senior, I know that the activities and services that are provided are appreciated and enjoyed by many. What happened to the photos taken of the seniors that were participating in the various activities at the Neighborhood Center? The only picture printed was of two Hoofers, and one made a comment in agreement with the writer.

Anita Bell
Los Gatos

Animal rights can become too much of a good thing

The letter from Betty Skatoff is typical of the radical animal rights people. They claim any idea of hunting is not good for the animal population. They are not aware of the laws of nature wherein every animal on this earth is to be killed and eaten or used by some other animal. Humans have fit into this pattern for tens of thousands of years, until the first part of the 20th century.

During those years we decimated many species with overhunting and overfishing. Then we got smart and started controlling hunting and fishing. However, we let the pendulum swing too far and now we have an overabundance of some animals--much to their detriment and ours.

A good example is the deer population in the United States, which is larger now than it was when the Pilgrims landed. We have an overabundance of deer because many of their predators do not exist and man has practically stopped hunting deer. Of course, why should he go to so much trouble when he can buy venison corn fed in New Zealand at the local grocery store?

Stopping human predatory relationships with animals is not beneficial for any species that is in overabundance because of a lack of other natural predators.

Edwin D. Sayre
Los Gatos

Tire-maker's new plan for colored treads is bad idea

Perhaps your readers have learned, as I did, of the plans by B.F. Goodrich to introduce tires with colored tread. Such tread would leave colored skid marks.

To make available to the general public such a product is to encourage reckless and dangerous driving--it is general knowledge that a locked wheel has no steering capability. Of course, this product would have great appeal to the younger generation--those whose driving skills and understandings of consequences have yet to mature.

A somewhat more localized, but significantly serious issue, is that of gangs. Gangs choosing to make their 'mark' in an opposing gang's territory would be encouraged to obtain such tires. From firsthand observation, I know that the 'tagging' of buildings and signs is a nationwide problem. Goodrich would be giving these persons another venue of expression.

A more socially responsible plan would be to develop a tire that left no marks! That would have the advantage of cleaning up our skid-marked highways. (Have you driven Highway 17 to Santa Cruz recently?)

I took a few phone calls to find the address for B.F. Goodrich corporate headquarters. I pass it on to those wishing to express their concerns. Michelin America Small Tires, B.F.Goodrich, 1 Parkway South, P.O. Box 19001, Greenville, SC 29602-9001.

Ken Pannabecker
Los Gatos

Worried citizens felt stifled at a recent meeting of commissioners

I was appalled at the disregard for the rights of the public exhibited by the commissioners during the most recent [July 28] Town Planning Commission meeting. Much of this took place during the hearing about the proposed Montessori School on Ferris Avenue.

The commissioners believed they had the right to limit testimony during the public meeting. Chairwoman Laura Nachison imposed procedures that limited the number of public statements to one from each opposing side. This approach has several problems:

* Those attending had no advance notice of these new rules. No coordination of the efforts of citizens who wished to be heard was possible. When one of the neighbors spoke up in an attempt to preserve his rights, Nachison cut him off and would not entertain any other questions about her rules.

* The assumption was made that there were exclusively two opposing viewpoints to be heard: the parents who are supporters of the Mariposa Montessori school and the local neighbors who were opposed. There were actually other people with other angles who wished to be heard. For example, there were many people present who are neighbors of the church and who also support the school. There also may have been people present who opposed the changes to the conditional use permit for very different reasons than those of the opposing neighbors.

* Many people present felt extreme discomfort at having the scope of a public hearing limited by the very commissioners who are supposed to consider all relevant testimony prior to making decisions.

Somebody, including one of the other commissioners, should have been able to protect the rights of the public from the beginning of the hearing. In all fairness, the town attorney did finally disallow Nachison's imposed rules. However, he was only able to do this at the end of the proceedings, when Nachison finally decided to verify whether she could just arbitrarily choose to close the hearing to further comments from the public. As a result, many attendees felt intimidated into not raising their concerns/support about the Mariposa School.

Nachison displayed her arrogance in several other ways through her attitude, especially towards those in support of Mariposa. She commented that driving your child to preschool in a private car is "elitist." She assumed any carpool arrangements that might be set up (even if mandated by the conditional use permit) would fall apart within six months because of selfish, undisciplined parents. There were numerous other examples that showed she had little respect for the purpose of the public hearing.

Fortunately, I do not live in one of the annexed portions of this town. For those readers who are unfortunate enough to have to succumb to these arrogant politicians: attend meetings, be ever vigilant and defend your rights.

Linda Swenberg
Los Gatos

Criticism should be directed at the town, not the business owner

In the Aug. 4 edition of the Los Gatos Weekly-Times, you published a cartoon that is very critical of Campo Di Bocce. Now I am not personally a fan of the restaurant, having never used their facility, but I am also not ready to criticize what Tom Albanese is trying to do. I too have been inconvenienced by the large tour bus parking in the middle of University Avenue to pick up or let off passengers. One can certainly attempt to blame Albanese for this inconvenience, but is that the proper place to put the blame?

Albanese, like most entrepreneurs, is trying to run a successful business. Would you want to deprive him of his right to do that? Isn't the problem really that the town of Los Gatos has seen fit to commingle a business of this type with a residential area? The town has approved this business permit. The town is responsible to resolve the consequences of its action. I recognize that the cartoon does not necessarily represent the views of the Weekly-Times; therefore, this letter is a point of view that differs from that of the cartoon's author.

John K. La Galante
Los Gatos

Council sends apartment proposal back to Planning Commission

Space exploration is a worthy pursuit

Obituaries

Picture From the Past

Sports Briefs

Dammit Run returns for 26th year

Courtside Tennis Center sends teams to junior championships

Photo: Little League 'Black' all-stars

Photo: Little League 'Orange' all-stars

Photo: Local soccer star Marcia Wallis