Many Los Gatos residents will remember the struggle over several years to secure public ownership of the beautiful tract now known as "Bear Creek Redwoods Open Space Preserve," currently administered by the Midpeninsula Regional Open Space District. This protection could not have occurred without the endorsement of the town of Los Gatos and the cities of Monte Sereno, Saratoga, Cupertino and Morgan Hill, plus the grass-roots efforts of an army of concerned private citizens.

Those same forest-loving individuals should know that we now face a much larger environmental threat nationwide called the "Healthy Forests Initiative." This gift to the timber industry by the Bush administration would open our national forests to an invasion of logging interests under the guise of preventing forest fires. Rather than careful thinning and brush clearing near communities, we could expect the intrusion of new logging roads, clear-cuts and use of herbicides, with the ultimate clandestine goal of removing commercially valuable old-growth trees. The resulting siltation and runoff of chemicals would impact wildlife and human communities downstream, as well as outdoor recreation in general.

Public opposition directed to Congress can help block the "Healthy Forests Initiative" nationwide. Within this state, the "California Wild Heritage Campaign" (SB 2535) should be supported by urging Sen. Dianne Feinstein to help Sen. Barbara Boxer on this important bill. If it passes, many national forest areas and waterways in California will be afforded the protection of wilderness status. Enough logging damage is occurring on private lands across the nation, and the national forests of the American people should not suffer a similar fate.

—Bob Moncrieff, Monte Sereno


Town council should watch spending

In the past week or two the news media has given lots of coverage to the dire financial straits facing the state of California. Most people have known for some time that the economy was on a downhill slide. However, our elected representatives may still be in a state of denial—they have continued to spend money lavishly. The Los Gatos Town Council is no exception.

One of the last acts of former Mayor Randy Attaway was the dedication of the renovated Town Plaza. Improvements to the plaza were originally estimated to cost $750,000. The final price was $1.5 million, an increase of 100 percent.

At this time town hall is being wired to accommodate TV broadcasting of town council meetings. The project's original cost estimate was $65,000; the last amendment to the contract for consultation and the wiring has brought the price to $209,000, an increase of just 321 percent. In the meantime, town hall is being wired to the tune of $209,000. A consulting firm, hired by the town at a cost of up to $245,000, is trying to determine the needs for an improved civic center, which may include a replacement of the present facilities. I sincerely hope the new mayor and council will be as careful with the taxpayers' money as they would be with their own money.

—Egon Jensen, Los Gatos


Closing driving range protects neighborhood

I think the Medalie family is justified in erecting canopies in their front yard to protect life and property from the dangers of flying golf balls. But why should they have to do this? Clearly the appropriate solution is to close the driving range. Why does the town of Los Gatos license a few to endanger the lives of our residents and then tell the residents they are forbidden to protect themselves? Shutting down the driving range seems to solve this matter once and for all. The town might also consider turning all of the golf course into a park that could be enjoyed by all of our residents.

—Del Riesenhuber, Los Gatos


Community in Los Gatos has personality

Hmmm! One week the Los Gatos Weekly-Times features a mild-sounding environmentalist researching local insects without damaging them. The next week you write about a local redneck "hunter" who chuckles as he remembers shooting a wild animal in the head. What different people we are! But who would you prefer as a neighbor?

—M. Sheehan, Los Gatos