Picking a Planner

Re “New Planner Picked After Investigation” (Sept. 21): In The Times’ continuing quest to prove that half a story is better than none, your reporter missed a few critical points in the story about the newest appointee to the Planning Commission in Orange.

Since I applied for this opening on the commission and since my name was mentioned in the article, I would like to clarify my reasons for appearing before the City Council on two occasions to question the appointment and the process by which it was made.

As the Times reported, I did question whether my qualifications were better than Mark Murphy’s because I work in the field of land planning; he works in marketing. But the council let me know that they were looking for a “fresh perspective.” (So much for all my education and 10 years’ experience in the field.)

Another salient point that I did not see mentioned in the article is that Mark Murphy is serving as Mayor Pro Tem Gene Beyer’s campaign manager in his current campaign for mayor.

I do not know Mark Murphy, and I wish him no ill will, but an appointment to the Planning Commission does not a planner make, and at least one council member has told me that he relies heavily upon the commission’s recommendations to make his own decision. This public appointment should not be based on politics.

TERRI H. SARGEANT, Orange