Former councilman praises recent appointments Given my...

Former councilman praises recent appointments

Given my problems with the direction of the Costa Mesa City

Council, past and present, I’m most pleased to say that the council

recently made very good commission choices, especially the Planning

Commission appointments of Eleanor Egan, Donn Hall and Jim Fisler.

Thank you; keep up the good work.

CHRIS STEEL

Costa Mesa

* EDITOR’S NOTE: Chris Steel is a former Costa Mesa City

Councilman.

Back Bay is a true treasure

A couple of weeks ago, I read in the Daily Pilot that the Peter

and Mary Muth Interpretive Center was having a program for children 2

to 5 years old. I love the Back Bay. I made it my business to attend.

The theme of the day was the owl. There were several owls on

display that had been preserved by taxidermy and a park ranger who

was very knowledgeable. She was just marvelous with the children. She

put on eyeglasses with two big Styrofoam balls on them with an

eyeball glued to each to give the kids an idea of what it would be

like to have the eyes of an owl. She whirled a nylon rope in the air;

it made a swooshing sound. Then she did it again with the same rope

but with lots of yarn woven into it; it made no sound at all, which

showed the kids how the owl flies through the air soundlessly. She

put on a headband with two little felt ears glued on it to show what

owl ears look like since they’re hidden in the owl’s headdress.

I was learning a whole lot, even though I’m not 5, though on a bad

day I’ve been accused of worse.

After the program was over, the children went to little tables

with little chairs where a cutout of an owl was waiting for each of

them. There were containers of feathers, buttons, and lots of glue

and paint.

How wonderful. And all for a mere $5. The best deal in town.

Now I love the Back Bay. For years, I’ve been renting a kayak at

the Newport Beach Aquatic Center at North Star Beach, and, with my

own paddle and gloves on to protect my dainty digits, I head off into

the great beyond. Yes, it is an adventure, complete with wildlife --

ducks, fish, other birds of all sizes -- and jets flying overhead.

Talk about big birds! That’s when the El Toro debacle makes my blood

boil and the fact that man, yet again, has sacrificed nature’s

habitat to preserve his own makes me want to choke the Board of

Supervisors and the residents of South County. The birds can’t like

having their home flown over any more than we do; they just don’t

have a voice.

This last time I was out on the Back Bay, just a few weeks ago, I

remembered to take along the cheat sheet that I’d bought at the

Interpretive Center so that I could identify what I was seeing. It’s

a card full of color pictures of the local birds, fully laminated so

it’s waterproof. Perfect.

I saw four brown pelicans; seven snowy egrets and one great egret

all standing together; plus a mallard duck; tons of buffleheads; and

lots of what I think were marbled godwits (if I’m wrong, cut me a

break). It was breathtaking.

It never ceases to amaze me how far away I feel from civilization,

paddling out there on the water with the wildlife all around me. It’s

serene and solitary, and I could be a million miles away rather than

just five minutes from my home. In fact, I am a million miles away in

my mind. My mind is quiet, free of the chatter that occupies it all

too often. It just goes to show, you can take a vacation from

yourself and your worries any old time you want.

Gorgeous Newport. The Back Bay is just one of its many bounties.

How blessed I feel to live here.

MAXINE COHEN

Newport Beach

Column on the mark;

family relation is, too

The recent column by S.J. Cahn was right on the mark (“Why we do

what we do,” Thursday). The Daily Pilot has been at every event in

the community that I have attended over many years, and it normally

is one of the sponsors. The paper’s involvement in the community is

thorough, and the reporting is very rarely slanted. The numerous

individuals I have met at the paper are warm, caring individuals and

constitute “community family” in my opinion.

BILL PIERPOINT

Balboa Island

Council didn’t make change that writer worries about

As reflected in a letter to the editor published on Thursday

(“Mailbag”), a Costa Mesa resident apparently misunderstood the final

result of City Council action regarding the public comments portion

of their meetings. Although many options were discussed during the

meeting Monday night, after much debate, the final decision by the

council was to not change the way nonagenda public comments are

conducted during City Council meetings. This means that the public

will still be able to make its comments near the beginning of the

meetings, with no limitation as to the number of speakers nor the

time available to all speakers. Each speaker will still be limited to

three minutes.

In a wise change of heart, Mayor Allan Mansoor withdrew his motion

that would have split the comments section, with a 30-minute time

limit in the beginning and the remaining speakers allowed to speak at

the end, if time permitted. There will, perhaps, be some

modifications in the procedures to be followed, but not the

opportunity for all speakers to voice their opinion before the

council at an early hour.

Those of us who watch the council cannot help being impressed by

the thoroughness of this debate and the willingness of all council

members to consider all viewpoints. Mansoor’s decision to change his

mind on this issue, to give the present system a chance to work under

this new council, is a perfect example of precisely why public

comments are such an important part of the considerations of issues

in this city. This demonstrates to me that not only will the public

continue to be encouraged to participate in the process, but that

this council seems willing to listen.

GEOFF WEST

Costa Mesa