MAILBAG:Initiative for City Hall does not mention a park

This letter is in response to the Daily Pilot editorial (“City hall on ballot merits a green light,” July 1).

If you really want to know why do we not want the initiative on the ballot, here it is. The initiative does not mention a park! Architect Bill Ficker states, “Our initiative isn’t to develop a park.”

The paid petition gatherers all have signs, shirts and literature that mention a park and they claim astronomical savings — “tens of millions” — if City Hall is built on the site of Newport Center Park.

People who believe as I do think that if it’s going to be a park and City Hall then the initiative would say that and the leading proponent wouldn’t say, “Our initiative isn’t to develop a park.” We foresee anything left over after city hall gets built as a being developed and not with a park. How about the new police station that the police say is needed in a few years? We are faced with a campaign that claims massive savings: a park on 8-plus acres and a donor with unlimited funds to tell that to the voters. Then when the initiative passes, we get reminded that the proponents said “no park” when they were first asked about it on June 15 and they can’t be blamed for the representations of a “few overeager petition gatherers.” We are against the initiative because of the total lack of truth between the language of the initiative that doesn’t mention a park and the statement by the leading proponent about it not being a park and what is being represented to the people who are soliciting the signatures for the initiative.

Do you think the campaign for the initiative, if it qualifies, is going to be any more truthful?

BARRY ALLEN

Help from community appreciated by many

As the commanding officer of the 1st Marine Special Operations Battalion at Camp Pendleton, I would like to humbly extend my most heartfelt thank you to the citizens of the extended Newport Beach community for their extraordinary generosity at our recent car wash.

The purpose of this event was to raise funds for this year’s Marine Corps Birthday Ball. Our specific goal was to raise enough money to allow our junior Marines and sailors to easily attend, as the costs of holding an annual ball have skyrocketed.

Hosted by Danny Marcheano at The Arches in Newport Beach, and supported by Jim Fitzpatrick of Pronto Wash, this event exceeded our wildest expectations. Danny allowed us the usage of his location and also provided food and drink for a very hungry audience, and Jim both taught our Marines how to wash the vehicles correctly and donated his wash service to the cause.

Though we washed an estimated 450 or so cars, and everyone certainly went home exhausted for their efforts, it was obvious soon after we began that there was far, far more going on than just a car wash.

The outpouring of support for the Marines and sailors was physically and emotionally overwhelming. Being made aware of the thanks that you feel for our service was a truly a humbling event — and is something that we’ll use to fuel our continued endeavors. To the men (and women for all the spouses who helped!) we were simply amazed by the communal response.

May God bless you and may God bless America forever!

Neil C. Schuehle

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