Keith Curry will shine in City Council spotlight

The Newport Beach City Council made a brilliant decision in selecting Keith Curry to fill John Heffernan’s seat.

Curry is a man of high integrity and deep wisdom in all that he does. His background in financial management and the proper stewardship of public assets will make a huge contribution to the already fine governance provided by our City Council. The public will soon recognize Curry’s qualities as a servant leader.

The city is quite fortunate that he stepped forward at this time to serve.

JIM DALE

Newport Beach

At least put Peotter on planning commission

I was disappointed that Scott Peotter was not chosen; he presented himself very well at Tuesday’s City Council meeting. Because of his background as an architect, I feel that the council should consider him for the planning commission when a vacancy occurs on that board.

JACK ANDERSEN

Newport Beach

Cronyism is alive and well on City Council

The Newport Beach City Council decision on Tuesday to choose the fourth unelected City Council person was decided by a 5-1 vote. The “insider” choice clearly was Keith Curry, another public administration bureaucrat from Los Angeles, who was selected over popular local activist Dolores Otting. Numerous speakers during public comment called for a change to the provision of the city charter that was designed originally for those who might die in office, or victims of accidents, or simultaneous injury to the lion’s share of the council members.

The self-perpetuating aspect of this charter provision allows council members to step down early and essentially name their replacement. In the case of Steve Rosansky, he served three years of Gary Proctor’s term, was reelected in 2004 and will serve, if reelected again, till 2012. Literally, all the replacement candidates are being given “incumbent status” and the support of the police, fire and public employee unions -- as well as the Chamber of Commerce. The inmates are running the institution.

The “good old boy/girl network” is alive and well in Newport Beach.

Requiring a vote of the people for all districts, where there is a voluntary resignation before the end of term, would be a good start to taking back city government. Allowing the current system to continue unabated is reminiscent of that old song: 16 tons and owing our souls to the company store!

RON WINSHIP

Newport Beach

Local government is broken in Newport

With last night’s appointment to the Newport Beach City Council, we now have four of seven council members who have entered via the appointment process rather than by a vote. This represents a 57% majority of council seats.

This is not my idea of a democracy or a representative government. I think there is something fundamentally broken at City Hall, and it is not just the old buildings.

Our process is broken. The fundamentals of democracy are not working. The electorate does not have fair representation in local government.

CHRIS HARANO

Newport Beach

Council should have chosen Dolores Otting

I was disappointed to see an obscure resident get the council seat for Newport Beach’s 7th District. I don’t ever recall seeing him giving any public comment on any issues in front of the council.

Dolores Otting is more qualified than Keith Curry to represent the district and that was validated by her outstanding turnout in the last election and endorsements at the Tuesday night council meeting.

It’s obvious from his oratory that Curry is a dyed-in-the-wool politician and we have plenty of those in government. His responses on the environment, growth and quality of life were all canned and sounded like a recording.

We need to have people like Otting on the council level who represent the constituents and not the interests of a few.

PHIL DRACHMAN

Newport Beach

Add Spanish class to the list of schooling cuts

I could not agree more with Steve Smith’s column on Feb. 1 (“Fear of change hurts students”). One thing he failed to mention was the general requirement for two years of Spanish. There is another one, in addition to algebra, which, in my opinion, makes absolutely no sense to mandate to our children.

Those interested in a language, I think, should be able to take it in school, but those who are not should probably have to take only one year of Spanish.

Also I agree it really does not prepare them for life beyond high school for those who either don’t want to go to a major college or don’t want to go to college at all. I think it should be run more like a college where in ninth and 10th grades they are mandated to take some basic requirements in math and even a year in Spanish, but 11th and 12th is where they would be able to take those courses that are of interest to them.

I would like to congratulate Smith for an article well done.

DEAN WIENER

Corona del Mar

Relax about John Wayne Airport expansion

What’s the big deal about John Wayne Airport’s expanding to accommodate additional passengers? Even if allowed to grow to 14 million passengers per year, that’s less than half of what Newport and Costa Mesa residents planned to stick their South County neighbors with an El Toro airport.

Plus, as we heard over and over from El Toro airport proponents, today’s newer generation of aircraft are quieter and cleaner than ever before. If we were never going to hear these jets over our homes, surely Newport and Costa Mesa won’t hear them over their homes.

Unless of course, none of that is true and was only rhetoric to try to justify Newport and Costa Mesa NIMBY attitudes. Nah. Couldn’t be that.

DOUGLAS K. BLAUL

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