Taking responsibilityTo the Editor:Tuesday afternoon I attended the City Council meeting along with several other interested citizens. We witnessed a council taking responsibility. Three members with the courage to stand behind their convictions, to do what they felt best for the city, ventured to forge their own course and created a new vision for Santa Paula. They took the road less traveled, not like the sheep we have had in the past. These three members are changing the course of Santa Paula’s future and I want to thank them.Sometimes you must think outside the box and realize you get what you pay for. I was taught early on “the quality of a person is how they accept responsibility.” Thank you Bob, Ralph and Ray.Judy RiceSanta PaulaThe right choicesTo the Editor:Reading the Ventura County Star as I do every morning, turning directly to section B, I decide by headline what I choose to read! “Santa Paula hires builder for sewer plant on 3-2 vote”, then below that “Report shows another bidder would cost less.” I won’t even pretend to know all of the information or all the regulations that are required. As usual there is a negative innuendo. First of all “cost less” is not necessarily the best! The City Council has to weigh every aspect of a project and try to make the right decision for our community! Nobody, including the City Council wants to raise fees, they have to pay the same fees everyone else has to pay! Gas is no longer 25 cents a gallon, so public services are no longer what the cost used to be, building anything is going to cost. My point is, after all the studies, regulations, etc., our City Council voted for the builder they felt was best for the city!On to a more positive subject!East Area 1! I received the brochures and information on East Area 1. I cannot imagine anyone objecting to this project! What an addition to this beautiful valley. This project is able to offer so many positive needs for our community. Here we have an opportunity to support a well thought out project. The plan is dynamic! I hope it is not going to get battered back and forth with special interest groups.This is a great opportunity citizens of Santa Paula, let those of us that care about this community make sure East Area 1 gets our support!Maiya HerreraSanta PaulaCost of ownership and bid price can be vastly differentTo the Editor:Re: April 16 article by Kathleen Wilson — “Report shows another bidder would cost less.”The procurement and management of complex systems such as the Santa Paula sewer plant requires more than a superficial review and demands background and experience that few have. Check the facts. No one on the Santa Paula City staff, and I would bet this includes their consultant, has experience with procuring anything of this magnitude.That being said, those who have such experience know that there is often a vast difference between the initial bid price and the ultimate cost of ownership. We have all witnessed the huge overruns on weapon systems by defense contractors. In the last few years, the procurement process has been improved by using best value evaluation methods which include cost realism considerations. On the surface, the Veolia bid price was less than PERC, but the Veolia bid price was based on a set of questionable assumptions. They gave no guarantees where as PERC did guarantee the financing. Thus, the risk was considerably less by going with PERC. Both bidders were evaluated as being able to do the job. This stuff about Veolia having designed and built this exact configuration of plant while PERC has not done so is simply not true. To me, it is even questionable whether or not Veolia has even operated this exact configuration. Do the research.I found Ms. Wilson’s article to be demeaning, without merit, toward the three Council members that are finally moving our city forward. The two Council members that voted for Veolia had arguments with little depth. Suggesting that we should accept City Staff’s opinion on face value begs the questions of: If staff is all knowing, why do we need a Council?To Bob, Ralph and Ray, I say BRAVO!!Larry SagelySanta Paula
Letters to the Editor
April 18, 2008
Opinion
Measure G - A model project
To the Editor:Limoneira has shown us the model regarding development here in Santa Paula. They have considered and responded to a wide range of housing needs, they have designed a good project, they have kept the public informed and fully complied with the requirements of Measure L. This was truly a professional effort and the project will be a major asset to our city.I urge everyone to vote YES on Measure G — East Area One.Larry S. SagelySanta PaulaSame old agendaTo the Editor:Re: The article in the April 13 issue of The Star: “Cities must ensure housing for all people”This article, written by Roy Jasso, President of Cabrillo (CEDC), is both misleading and self-serving. As an officer of CEDC, Mr. Jasso stands to gain substantially by promoting more and more subsidized, low end housing; an agenda that has impacted Santa Paula negatively in a financial way for many years. No one should accept at face value his inferences that either SCAG, RHNA, or the State can require a city, any city, to build a certain number of low end houses; there is no such valid law, only goals promoted by persons and organizations with a “housing” agenda.Santa Paula is a city that has bent over backwards to work with CEDC in the past, and now CEDC is suing our city for not approving a non-compliant project - and likely using the $400k that we gave them to fund or collateralize the suit. CEDC appears to have no concern or interest in the fact that Santa Paula is terribly out of balance toward the low-end from past practices of green lighting every low-income housing development that comes along. Saying NO to Plaza Amistad was a real wake up call. Finally, Mr. Jasso argues that we need to: “…ensure every citizen has a decent, safe, sanitary and affordable place to call home”. That sounds good and right. But the question is, which citizens are the taxpayers of Ventura County supposed to support? Is Mr. Jasso saying that we should support citizens of Mexico, Iran, Iraq, Afghanistan, or are his comments directed exclusively toward housing U.S. Citizens? Please tell me; it is very important to know that we taxpayers are not being called upon to support non-citizens of the United States. The burden on our backs is far too heavy already — we have had enough of this socialistic, world with no borders, agenda!Jasso has one point right. Citizens, especially the taxpayers, need to get involved with shaping the area’s housing element. Otherwise CEDC will continue to get rich at our expense.Larry S. SagelySanta PaulaHonoring Dora CrouchTo the Editor:In a few days I will be saying “Goodbye” to a dear personal friend whose contributions to Santa Paula are of lasting significance. She is one of the most brilliant people I’ve ever known with a wide range of experience in many fields including archeology, land and water use, architecture, art and literature. She has been an avid supporter of our library, a member of the Friends of the Library and President of the Library Board. She is also a member of the Santa Paula Society of the Arts. She served as President of the local chapter of the League of Woman voters where she spearheaded the publication of an extensive study on housing throughout Ventura County. Her concern for our environment led her to join the Friends of the Santa Clara River.Her most significant and lasting contribution, for which she will be honored next week by the County Board of Supervisors, is the founding of the House Farm Workers Task Force. This has expanded to local task forces throughout the county.She is, above all, a deeply spiritual woman, a devoted member of St. Sebastian’s Church and an ecumenical contemplative group. A woman who really “walks the talk” she leaves us with a legacy of integrity and commitment. She is living proof that one woman, dedicated to God, compassion and justice can make a difference. I am deeply grateful to be numbered among the many friends who will miss Dr. Dora Crouch.Joanne WrightSanta PaulaSupport Measure G, East Area 1To the Editor: This will be the first major move for Santa Paula’s toward a brighter future. Now we have an opportunity to make Santa Paula a stronger, more economically stable community. With our new, forward thinking City Council I know that with a balanced housing approach and our new wastewater system, things can be looking up for Santa Paula. Limoneira, I believe, is the oldest industry in Ventura County with a reputation for being a part of many community positive efforts since 1893. It has been my privilege to work with them since 1980. I know they will produce a development that we all will be proud of and produce a stable tax source for Santa Paula.David KaiserSanta Paula
