1901 Newport opponents need to learn the...

1901 Newport opponents need to learn the facts

What I first thought was a sales solicitor knocking on my door the

other day turned out to be a solicitor of another type. The person

sought my support in signing a petition to place the 1901 Newport

Boulevard condo project on the November ballot for a vote of the

people of Costa Mesa.

The solicitor described numerous things that would happen to the

city and its residents if the project were allowed to go forward. In

particular, they described the horrific traffic impacts associated

with the project and how the city even has to give money to the

developer to build the project. I told this person that I did not

know enough about the project to make an informed decision as to

whether to sign the petition, and therefore I declined.

However, the encounter did pique my interest, and I did make

inquiries about the proposed condos. The facts I learned were a far

cry from what the solicitor had described. The city’s environmental

impact report and traffic studies revealed there would be no

long-term effects to the environment, traffic, noise, etc. Not

surprisingly, the traffic problems are attributable to commuters

passing through Costa Mesa to get to the beach, and not this

residential project.

I also learned about the tax revenue that will be created by this

project for the city. The notion that the city is subsidizing the

developer sounds wrong, but once again the facts provide clarity. It

is the City who is going to enjoy an economic windfall at an

estimated $700,000 per year, according to documents from City Hall.

Twenty percent of those tax generated funds will go for use in

providing state-require affordable housing in the city, with some of

those funds being placed in the condo project to help meet this city

requirement. The remaining 80%, or approximately $560,000 per year,

will be used at the city’s discretion for the betterment of the

downtown area -- something sorely needed if you were to ask me.

As I was evaluating the project information, it was mentioned to

me that the voter petition is just a vehicle for candidates running

for City Council to keep their name in the papers to gain exposure.

While that may or may not be the case here, I think that people

soliciting signatures to promote a project (or in this case, stop a

project) should also be required to hand out fact sheets that offer

true perspectives on the issue.

The petition being circulated on the 1901 Newport Boulevard

project conjures up the notion of mob rule and ignores the facts. If

one takes the time to understand the project, one can see that the

hysteria is not justified in this case. Revenue generation to the

city by a project deemed to not have environmental impacts sounds

like the wisdom of the City Council’s approval of the project was

prudent.

MIKE WOODEN

Costa Mesa

Cox’s outrage seems a little hypocritical

I find it quite amusing to learn that Rep. Chris Cox is upset

because State Assembly candidate Cristi Cristich allegedly misused a

quote from the congressman as an endorsement. It is amusing because I

recall that when Cox first ran for public office that he plastered

the district with signs which read, “Thank you, Chris Cox,” with a

cursive style signature beneath the printing of former President

Reagan. One wonders what the rest of the letter contained from the

former president?

CLARENCE J. TURNER

Newport Beach

You can’t place principals in impossible positions

The Pilot’s question of how parents feel about Principal Judith

Chambers’ decision to resign is like asking whether a pirate’s

prisoner -- forced to walk the plank -- should have jumped ship. This

was an old-fashioned tar and feathering, although I don’t believe

that most parents or teachers wanted this particular result. Many

wanted the principal to make changes, but I don’t believe that many

wanted the District to replace our principal. I hope it’s not too

late to turn the ship around and save our drowning principal.

Newport Heights Elementary has had three principals in the past

eight years. Our fourth principal, appointed by the district this

past week, is an absolute superstar, but he’s retiring in four months

and we will be on to our fifth principal. Chambers is a veteran and

honored principal. She has devoted the past 3 1/2 years to the Heights, including many late nights. Her rapport with students was

unmatched. She stressed the concepts of the “Character Counts”

program at the Heights and during her tenure test scores have

significantly improved. While she and I did not see eye to eye on

every issue, she was always willing to listen and make adjustments

when appropriate in response to concerns that were raised.

I suggest that rather than throwing her to the sharks and

potentially ending her career as a principal, the district work with

her. The district should allow the interim principal and Chambers to

redefine the principal position, if necessary, and assist Chambers in

improving her management skills. The position of a principal in these

days of limited budgets is an extremely difficult one and if we fail

to save Judith Chambers, we are doing a significant disservice to

her, our school and ourselves.

The position of principal at the Heights and probably at many

other elementary schools is an impossible one when viewed from a

business model standpoint. The principal is the manager of the school

and has to deal with several disparate factions -- students,

teachers, staff, community, and parents, while answering to the

school district. Answering to administration, often puts the

principal in a position which is at odds with students, teachers and,

or parents.

At the same time, teachers and parents sometimes have differing

interests and the principal is required to mange those issues. This

is particularly true at the beginning of each year when classes are

formed and children are juggled to fit classroom number requirements,

student enrollment figures that are in flux even after the school

year begins, needs of the children, desires of the teachers and

expectations of parents. Parents have different viewpoints. The

principal has no vice principal to delegate to because her time is

filled with District meetings, parent conferences, school management,

discipline, teacher meetings, programs, real campus emergencies, such

as an child abandoned by his parents at school and strangers on

campus.

Parents in much of Orange County, including the Heights, attempt

to look out for the best interests of our children. Although this is

a much better alternative than what happens in some situations where

children are not parented, it can have negative ramifications if not

kept in perspective. When Susie or Bobbie don’t get the particular

teacher they wanted or a parent doesn’t like a particular decision

that is made because of its impact on our particular child, parents

can be quick to judge, intolerant and impatient. When a parent looks

to the principal to resolve the problem (which, in the eyes of the

parent, is defined as doing what the parent is asking to be done), it

is easy to forget the fact that there are other factors that the

principal must take into consideration. And that every decision has

potentially competing views, and potential ramifications that may

affect other students, teachers and parents. One parent wants strong

campus security to protect her child, while another is offended by

not being permitted on campus without signing in. One parent is

afraid that his child will be bitten by a dog allowed on campus and

another is offended when the rule that no dogs are permitted is

enforced.

If this tide cannot be turned, we must learn from it. The district

should work with the interim principal and the principals of other

schools to devise a structure that works at the school and doesn’t

place the principal in an impossible position. As parents, we must do

a better job than our parents did in teaching our kids that there are

ramifications to our actions and that lessons of patience, tolerance

and forgiveness are not just hollow words.

KIM THOMPSON

Newport Beach