The time has come to end the controversy once and for all, and that might happen very soon under the leadership of Chancellor Stan Arterberry, who led the effort to form an ad hoc committee to look into the situation and, in the words of Saratoga Mayor Nick Streit, "to work out a solution."

It's about time. West Valley doesn't need a stadium. The college just needs enhancements to the football field that is already there—bleachers, a permanent scoreboard and a sound system. A press box and a restroom facility would also be welcome additions. Hopefully the ad hoc committee will come to that agreement and end this ridiculous squabble once and for all.

Yet, the issue remains a hot button in the 2002 races for the community college district and the Saratoga City Council.

Trustee candidate Bret L. England suggested in a recent League of Women Voters forum that "it's time to move on" and that the "district has spent over $500,000 on litigation." Then he goes on to suggest that the district should look into the construction of a stadium at Mission College as a solution to the problem.

That logic seems rather contradictory—a candidate complaining about the college spending half a million dollars in litigation fees, then suggesting that the district spend millions of dollars to build a brand new stadium at Mission as the solution. And Mission doesn't even have a football team! Which plan sounds like the bigger waste of taxpayers' money?

The "stadium" is also a big issue in the Saratoga council race this fall. Streit indicated that the issue remains very much alive because of Elaine Alquist's state assembly bill 3046.

"A stadium could change the character of that neighborhood," he said. "This fight is not over."

Well, the fight may not be over, but the chance of Alquist's bill passing certainly is. AB 3046 died with the end of the legislative session, and Alquist will be termed out of office as of Nov. 30.

What's more, a few bleachers, a scoreboard and a sound system that would be used for five or six home football games a year would certainly not adversely change the character of that neighborhood.

It's time to end this foolishness once and for all, and that may mean that voters should support Jack Lucas, Don Wolfe and Kevin Moore in the college trustees race since all have indicated that they would support a scaled down "bleachers" plan.

But the final answer to this ongoing controversy likely rests in the hands of the ad hoc committee members, and we hope they reach a logical decision that works things out for both sides.

All this fuss, all this controversy, all this political posturing—all for five days a year. It hardly seems worth the effort.