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Peace on Fifth

Editor:

I wanted to offer a kind word to the Freemans on Fifth Street, who experienced an act of vandalism at their home last week, after posting a peace sign in Hebrew, Arabic and English. ("Peace Shattered in Fifth Street Home," Dec. 1)

I am so sorry your home was damaged. Please know there are fellow Alamedans who deeply appreciate the healing spirit behind your message of peace, and stand in sympathy with you.

— Mary Fetherolf

LWVA thanks Angela's

Editor:

The League of Women Voters of Alameda would like to express its gratitude to the staff and management of Angela's Bistro for their support of the League by providing the supplies and facilities for two Friday Night Flight events and a Monday Mojito Night. Thanks to Angela's commitment to the non-profi t community, the League raised almost $1,000 to assist it in presenting candidate forums for the upcoming state assembly race in June 2012 and the Alameda city council race in November 2012. The proceeds will also further its efforts to get voters registered. To the Angela's crew: Saboor, Bill W., Bill G., Greg, Kari, Kathy, Reg and Greta, thank you!

The league would also like to acknowledge and thank Charlie Dollbaum, winemaker for Carica Wines, and Shauna Rosemblum, wine maker for Rockwall Wine Company, for their generous donations of wine for the two Friday Night Flight events. The League wishes you all the best in 2012 and keep up the great contribution you make to the community of Alameda.

— Jeff Cambra President, League of Women Voters of Alameda

No scams, please

Editor:

I am responding to David Burton's commentary ("Support Carbon-Free Power," Nov. 24). The Public Utilities Board wants to have Alameda Municipal Power join the cap and trade scam to increase rates, because Alameda made a local action plan in 2008 to join a global-warning hoax and scam. Where would the transfer of money go and what will it do?

The Berkeley Lab is going to build a large structure at sea level, because their scientists know the ocean will not rise. Period. Mankind's power to effect weather change and/or carbon dioxide is lacking in logic. Carbon-free energy cannot stop or even slow possible global warming. Cap and trade, like all the rules brought on by political power, have become oppressive and expensive without cost benefi t except for the scammers' cult to sustain a myth.

— Philip Tribuzi

Misplaced anger

Editor:

In her letter, ("Boycott Park Street," Nov. 24), Jenni Ludd says she has decided to boycott the merchants on Park Street until we get new trees. Why would anyone want to penalize the merchants for something the city council did? I actually had to read her letter twice because I thought I might have misread it.

— Karen Green

Covering every inch

Editor:

More buildings on Bay Farm are ruining the views and atmosphere. I was driving out to the ferry terminal on Bay Farm the other day, and I was amazed to see so many large new buildings going up on what was open waterfront park area.

Do we really have to cover every inch of Alameda with a building like every other city? Unlike every other city, Alameda has very limited space since we are surrounded by water, and we must do everything we can to preserve our parks, nature and views.

If people don't get involved and make their voices heard, our city government will quickly allow the ruin of what has been a historically unique and charming town.

— Joe Matuko

Adopt-a-Bed update

Editor:

Many thanks to those individuals and groups who have contributed to the Midway Shelter for abused women and their children in the month of November. A number of the listed donors contributed several times during the month.

William and Donalynne Ann Fuller; Anonymous I; Betty Sanderson; Pamela Williams; Hewitt, Jones and Fitch; Brian and Kathleen Schumacher; Virginia Krutilek; Dr. John A. Johnson; Eleanor Ezzy in honor of Ginny Krutilek's birthday; Maryliz Beland; Keith Nealy; John and Andrea Medulan; Cathy and Noel Folsom in honor of An Nguyen's birthday; First Community Bank; Alameda Welfare Council; Bev Moore in honor of Louise Parker's 90th birthday; Debbie and Roland Gregoire; Isle City Institute #51 YLI; Women's Life Insurance Society Review #59; East Bay Front Runners and Walkers; Bob and Ann Kenyon; Power Fitness PDX; Pack 1076, Boy Scouts of America; Susan Sperry, Sotheara Sang; Edmund V. Lemi; Agnes Ringo; Janine L. Boehm; and Christopher Valle- Riestra.

— Virginia Krutilek

Choosing trees for Park Street

Editor:

Residents should advocate for large replacement trees on Park Street. Don't be diverted by mourning those gone or what variety replaces them. Experts should choose the new trees. Focus on the size of the new trees so we will see them fl ourish in our lifetime! Here's why:

Trees have defi ned Alameda's character as much as Alameda being an island. How much so was evident when trees were removed from Park Street. When they are replaced we need to insure they are given the best possible conditions to thrive. Park Street is a harsh place for trees, with its hard surfaces of buildings and pavement, its many activities, car fumes, pollution and little other vegetation; it forms a diffi cult setting.

To survive these adversities and create their welcoming environment we need sturdy, well-shaped trees, that are of substantial size, at least 24-inch box, planted in ample, rich soil for them to take root, with suffi cient irrigation to prevent dehydration, and iron tree guards to protect them from damage.

In our arid climate, it makes sense to provide a permeable pavement to allow air and water penetration to not only benefi t the tree roots but to help replenish our ground water and reduce the amount of water lost into the bay.

As for which species to chose, it should be one that best meets the needs of the street and enhances the space with a minimum amount of maintenance. Using lesser trees, providing poorer growing conditions and not selecting a species that meets the required needs risks losing a great opportunity to create a truly special, distinctive street environment.

— Joan Konrad

Get priorities straight

Editor:

It would have been quite a terrible December if the city had gone through with closing the Alameda Animal Shelter.

The shelter has been here a long time. Animals are a man's best friend. Why did anyone ever think to close the shelter? I know why. Money!

How is it we can always come up with funds to build a five-story parking garage, a multi-million dollar library or an all-new theater?

I am not against these other new projects, I believe we need all these things. I've been a resident of Alameda for some 50 years now, and my family loves this city.

Nothing is perfect and there should be certain decisions to save money. The doesn't have money to keep the shelter open, but how much did it cost the city to cut down all those trees on Park Street?

Also — my family loves the Alameda Sun, the best newspaper in the Bay Area.

— Henry S.

Open letter to council

The Alameda Sun received a copy of this letter:

Dear City Council:

The board of directors at Garden Isle Home Owners Association represents 346 homeowners on Bay Farm Island. At our annual meeting on Nov. 14, the owners present unanimously supported the board's position that the land swap should not go forward. We are requesting the council vote against the proposed land swap and make sure this proposal is canceled for any discussion or action by a group or individual in the future.

The 346 homeowners at Garden Isle Home Owners Association want the city council to strongly stand against building 130 homes due to the negative impact this proposed development will have on all Garden Isle homeowners' quality of life.

Not only will this be detrimental to our property values, it will cause major traffi c issues on the island. Many times during the day, the commute traffi c and the school traffi c is at a standstill.

Entering Amelia Earhart Elementary School is already an excruciating ordeal, and the safety of our children must be of foremost concern to all parents. More and more commuters are driving on Harbor Bay Parkway to avoid the congestion and delays on Island Drive.

Further, in addition to the previous alternative to Island, since building the Ron Cowan Parkway, we have seen Mecartney Road become a more heavily traveled shortcut, and we daresay a speedway, than before.

Building an additional 130 homes would completely exacerbate this current problem for pedestrians, drivers and passengers changing the lifestyle of all 346 families at Garden Isle.

Not only would this have a negative impact on our quality of life, it is also a bad fi nancial deal for the city of Alameda.

Not if, but when Alameda experiences an earthquake or other major disaster, any additional homes would jeopardize the safety and rescue response to Garden Isle homeowners.

As our city's representatives, you must vote against the proposed land swap. It would be irresponsible of you not to, knowing the severe negative impact to all of Alameda, but particularly the impact to the lifestyle and property values for the Garden Isle homeowners and other homeowners on Bay Farm Island.

If the council does not want the responsibility of making this decision, then put this on the ballot like the SunCal issue so everyone in Alameda can voice their opinion.

— Neil Wilson President, Garden Isle Board of Directors

Landing disappoints

Editor:

With so much creative thinking available for sustainable design and architecture our Planning Board's direction for the proposed Alameda Landing near Posey Tube is truly disappointing. Essentially, the plan is big-box anchor store, Target, surrounded by vast parking lots, a few business-as-usual eateries, residences and dappled shade from a few lines of trees.

Instead of parking lots, install a free shuttle a la Emeryville to run around our commercial areas and insist Target and other vendors offer incentives to shoppers to use it. Insist Target actively promote recycling and install energy-efficient mechanisms inside their cookie-cutter store.

Indeed, insist Target invest more dollars in our town than the $300,000 to $400,000 they'll pay in sales tax on the $30 to $40 million they'll generate annually and remove from our town.

Residents have until Jan. 9 to review and comment on the draft plan available on the city's website. Apply your imagination with a view to a sustainable future for all Alamedans.

— Susan Galleymore

Reinvest in our course

Editor:

During the past 11 years, the Chuck Corica Golf Complex (CCGC) has generated $51 million in revenue. Out of that bounty the city of Alameda took $10.8 million over 11 years. These "transfers and charges" covered a wide variety of things that had little to do with golf. No other park in Alameda has poured into the city coffers anything close to this contribution.

The city has taken 21 percent of the revenue of the CCGC. The city took all the profits and plundered the reserve account intended for capital improvements. Yet the city re-invested no substantial funds in the golf complex. The city continuously deferred needed maintenance and allowed the golf complex to deteriorate. That is no way to run an enterprise.

The history of mismanagement has caught up with them. Had the city taken a more responsible 7.5 percent of revenue as proposed in the draft agreement with an outside golf operator, the transferred amount would have been $3.9 million. The remainder (nearly $7 million) could have been reinvested.

The city need not sacrifice the children's golf course to enable Harbor Bay Isle Association to build 130 three-story houses. Reject the swap deal and pursue a rational plan to benefit golf and preserve city parkland for future residents to enjoy.

The city is "overdrawn" at The Bank of Golf. Consequently, the city must stop all transfers and charges. It should not take another dime from golf. Instead, let the golf complex heal itself by directing all the golf profits back into the golf courses. The golf complex made over $1.5 million net income in the last two years.

The city council must empower the Golf Commission or a non-profit entity to ensure this happens. This approach will restore quality to the CCGC and ensure the park's future for all to enjoy.

— Joe VanWinkle