Letters to the Editor 6-1-17
Politeness of councils
Dear ER:
I waited and waited and waited and watched as one by one residents hoping to speak on the various aspects of PLAN Hermosa just could not wait any longer and left (“PLAN Hermosa study session,” ER May 18, 2017). I had to leave, too at 11 p.m. What is going on with a majority of this council? If you say a meeting starts at 8:30 p.m., make every effort to start as close to that time as possible. This was just wrong. It seems residents are being mistreated like this again and again.
Tracy Hopkins
Hermosa Beach
October reprise
Dear ER:
There is a recurring vote tally on the Hermosa Beach City Council. The majority adopts most all motions 4-1. I attended Hermosa’s May 23 council meeting, where I witnessed council the levying an additional sewer tax increase that will cost each Hermosa property owner more money. Council majority adopted the measure by a 4-1 vote. The council immediately followed the sewer tax by adopting a motion to purchase solar panels, while prematurely requiring a new roof on our community center for the panels to sit on. The projected cost is around $600,000. Council majority adopted the measure by a 4-1 vote. How can we pay forward our electrical expenses 20 years, which is the net effect of installing solar panels, and at the same time increase property taxes because of a shortfall? I have to ask, why are we creating taxes to fund our Carbon Neutrality projects? Countless commentaries questioning Carbon Neutrality from city residents continued to be ignored at Hermosa council meetings. Next October, three seats become available on our city council. Hopefully, we can attract qualified candidates who are interested in helping to keep our entire city functioning and beautiful rather than just pushing their green ideas.
Joseph Verbrugge
Hermosa Beach
DemocraC
Dear ER:
The “will of the people” defines our democracy. Our democratic process is designed to save us from ourselves and truly establish the “will of the people.”
Redondo Beach 2010 Measure G (establishing waterfront building guidelines) is currently the “will of the people.” It has survived the legal and legislative processes. The California Coastal Commission certified that Measure G conforms to California law. Therefore, Measure C is currently the “will of the people.” Now Measure C (altering Measure G’s waterfront building guidelines), which Redondo voters approved in March, must stand on its own before the Courts and the Coastal Commission. Once Mesure C has gone through both processes, it then becomes the “will of the people.” Following last Tuesday’s public hearing, the Redondo City Council sent Measure C on its course. It is possible that Measure C, in whole or in part, will be deemed “not legal.” Portions may be changed and or stricken. Whether you were for or against Measure C, you can trust that the Courts and the Coastal Commission certification processes will ultimately save us from ourselves and truly determine the “will of the people.” Measure G is law, and Measure C is now in democracy’s hands.
John Gran
Redondo Beach City Council Member
Redondo Beach
Sunshine law
Dear ER:
I would like to thank the four Hermosa Beach city council members Stacey Armato, Jeff Duclos, Hany Fangary and Justin Massey for voting to replace our dilapidated Community Center roof and install rooftop solar panels on that new roof (“Hermosa Beach Community Center repairs, solar panels OK’d,” ER May 25, 2017). The new roof will protect an important community asset for 25-plus years, increases the productivity of staff who have lived with the leaky roof, and generates enough local power to pay for itself over its lifespan. It’s great to see a smart, long-term solution that pays for itself, rather than the type of band-aid applied by prior councils that left the roof in the condition it is today.
Claudia Berman
Hermosa Beach Resident
Climate shakedown
Dear ER:
Climate Change. Carbon Neutrality. End Times. Baloney. The Hermosa Beach City Council assumes the enviro propaganda is correct and ignores paving, repairing roads, sewers, infrastructure and the fire department in favor of solar panels, bike lanes, charging stations, and costly building code changes. There is a lot of money to be made anytime things change. The ‘Greenies’ might be winners. But their story keeps changing as the data disproves enviro nut theories. In 1970, the first Earth Day concerned Global Cooling. By 1985, the data disproved the cooling hysteria and Global Warming was trotted out. By 2005, Global Warming data was non-existent and so ‘green’ propagandists tried the Climate Change slogan, promising killer hurricanes. But since 2004, there have been none. Sea levels have risen less than an inch since 1892. Predictions that oceans will rise seven feet by 2100 are based on ‘cherry picked data,’ favoring the green scammers in solar, climate change industries and Wall Street cheats in the carbon credit market.’ Carbon neutrality restricts human freedom, limits market choices and loots the public with another tax disguised as a solar subsidy, energy incentive, carbon credit, climate fee, green requirement or penalty. The Hermosa Council is more motivated by a scary slogan than the truth. Climate Change is really the ‘climate shake down.’
Mick Wells
Hermosa Beach
Messages to a Bottle Inn
Dear ER:
I have lots of good memories of the Bottle Inn in Hermosa and I’m making great new ones at the Bottle Inn in Riviera Village (“Message in a bottle,” ER May 25, 2017).
Cindy Hamill
Facebook comment
Dear ER:
I Have celebrated many a special occasion at The Bottle Inn. Hopefully the new owners will continue to have tables in the wine cellar
Hanif Haji
Facebook comment
Dear ER:
We ate at the Bottle Inn once a week for many years. Since we moved, we try to go as often as possible when in the area. Everyone was like family to us.
Kathleen Ann Parks
Dear ER:
Silvio was a friend of my dad’s. I worked there as hostess in the seventies. Silvio not only paid me, he was sure I had a meal before I left.
Bobe Wos
Facebook comment
Dear ER:
The Bottle Inn is a place I will never forget. I lived in Hermosa in the ‘70s and proposed to my wife Barby there over 40 years ago. I loved Easy Reader, as well, and even wrote their skiing column for many years.
Dewey Struble
Facebook comment
Dear ER:
I love the Bottle Inn. My husband proposed to me there 29 years ago.
Laura Shea
Facebook comment
Dear ER:
The Bottle Inn was formerly the site of the Riviera Bath House. My grandmother Louise Michelle Bergstrom sold them that property,. They were always so nice to her when she would stop by.
Amanda Ebey
Facebook comment
Dear ER:
We are so stoked that we ate there last week, before the changing of the guard. We love our friends at the Bottle Inn.
Jerilyn King-Zotti
Redondo Beach
Dear ER:
We will miss the old Bottle Inn in Hermosa, but will go to Riviera to see you there.
Helen Bornholdt
Facebook comment