Woods is behind Conservancy success In...

Woods is behind Conservancy success

In Barbara Diamond’s Our Laguna, the question was asked, “Why does

the Laguna Canyon Conservancy get such a good crowd month after

month, when other organizations can’t get people to attend [their]

meetings?”

The answer: Carolyn Woods. She is the dynamo, the focus, the

dedicated and determined worker, the committed visionary, the magnet

that draws and attracts the crowd. She and a small devoted group of

volunteers share the vision of a better Laguna Beach. She works

untiringly for causes to improve life in our community.

Carolyn Woods did not quit after the victory of securing the

Laguna Canyon to be made part of the greater Laguna Wilderness Park.

She identified numerous issues and causes that needed attention and

vigilance. Carolyn is a jewel and should become part of the “Laguna

Beach Treasures.”

PETER WEISBROD

Laguna Beach

All invited to peace vigil at beach

For many years, there has been a vigil in Laguna Beach every

Saturday at Main Beach and Ocean Avenue protesting war and nuclear

arms.

This is a peaceful vigil composed of a motley group of people

holding signs that state their ideas about war and other things that

demean the human condition.

Seldom has the group exceeded 12 to 15 people. Last week, 50

people showed up. They were not begged to come; they simply appeared.

Some brought signs, others used the signs that were already there.

What brought them was the conviction that the proposed war on Iraq is

a bad idea.

Because news coverage of the protest movement in this country has

been so severely restricted by most of the media, many people are

unaware that there is a sizable peace movement that has been

organized and is functioning all over the U.S. Large demonstrations

have been planned in Washington, D.C., San Francisco and other cities

and towns for Saturday, Jan. 18.

Members of the Laguna Beach Vigil invite all those who are

interested to declare themselves from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday at

Main Beach. Bring water, snacks and a sign if you want to express

yourself in your own words. Everyone is welcome.

LYN CHEVLI

Laguna Beach

Take responsibility for water usage

I was amused as an observer and outraged as a consumer when

reading the story in this paper about the lengths the water company

is going to protect its facilities from unknown potential assailants

and what the costs will add to my water bill.

However, I am shocked that the real culprits, who actually are a

threat to our water supply, are not identified. They are the people

of Laguna and elsewhere who have such wasteful water habits.

The reality is that Southern California’s water supply is being

cut back 50% by the federal government in restoring the share of the

Colorado River to which four other states are entitled. California

agriculture and the urban areas dependent on this supply are going to

have to begin right now to conserve radically before the reserves run

out.

The water company should be directing its primary energies to

educating the consumers of this reality and teaching conservation

techniques, and not into some fantasy scenario of sabotage. The wake

up call is now!

John Quigley’s heroic 71-day occupation of the ancient California

oak “Old Glory” has brought attention to the New Hall Ranch

development. Such supervisors as Mike Antonovich, in whose district

the tree and new development exist, should be ridden out of office

because of the tremendous drain on our already diminishing water

supply such new developments represent.

In our area, although on a smaller scale, the development in

Trabuco Canyon should also be checked and the Orange County Board of

Supervisors held responsible for the addition of its massive growth.

We should look to the governor of New Mexico, who is actively

concerned about water and developments around Santa Fe, where

excellent examples of conservation planning are occurring.

If we don’t begin to act now, there may be a time where we will

actually have to have water rationing. Also, desalinization of ocean

water is a very expensive option and should not be necessary if we

all begin water use transformations.

ANDY WING

Laguna Beach

Term limits -- it’s about time

Watching the Laguna Beach City Council reappoint the same Design

Review Board members, we are reminded of a critical flaw in municipal

governance:

Failing to prohibit indeterminate membership on commissions,

boards or councils leads to incestuous degradation.

In the biological world, genetic cross-pollination through

intermixing of species creates an assurance of diversity. Evolution

is a product of such inherent strategies. Just as a farmer tills the

soil, or rotates crops, turnover is integral to insure healthy and

fruitful longevity.

Moreover, as council members like Steve Dicterow serve their third

term, an atmosphere of governmental nepotism -- that is, a warlord

rewarding his/her ingratiating sycophants -- emerges. Is it really

any wonder that we find long-term cycles like pro-development

occurring when handpicked commissions/boards pre-determine the

outcome?

We forbid cousin marrying cousin, so why do we allow any of our

elected or appointed officials to remain indefinitely? City Council,

city manager and these commissioners/boards should at minimum step

aside for one term after serving for two. Dicterow’s comments during

the agendized Driftwood Estates subdivision last Tuesday are

irrefutable proof.

Note: (a) [Dicterow] said that he hadn’t ever, as a City Council

member, reviewed a subdivision before. This is false. Both Treasure

Island (The Montage) and the eight-parcel subdivision in Portofino

near Bolsana and Barracuda (Arch Beach Heights) were voted upon by

him. (b) He claimed that he wouldn’t remember public

comments/criticisms about Driftwood Estates by the time the council

reconvenes next month due to a continuance of this item.

Perhaps attention deficit disorder is a byproduct of the “Third

Term Syndrome.” Reintroducing Dicterow to a pencil (notice the

convenient eraser, Steve) or pen wouldn’t be necessary if he were a

rookie on a fact-finding binge, looking to prove himself worthy.

Steve’s behavior is not a reassuring sign for tempestuous times.

Whether he’s asleep at the wheel or just plain bored is irrelevant.

The city of Mission Viejo rejected multi-termed councilwomen

Sherri Butterfield and Susan Withrow last fall because progressive

community leadership and political activists were fed up. Cowboys

laugh at vacuous phonies, saying, “He’s all hat and no cattle.” By

returning these incumbents ad infinitum, we end up with little or no

real progress. Next time you interview a repeat offender (official),

ask them, “Got product?”

ROGER VON BUTOW

Founder and Chairman Clean Water Now!

Laguna Beach