Petitioners Put Damper on ArtWalk

As coordinator for last weekend’s ArtWalk ’97 on the Exxon Lawn in Thousand Oaks, I strongly protest to the petitioners who accosted every citizen coming to the ArtWalk.

While they had the legal right to be there, these people seriously detracted from the event. Their aggressiveness in trying to get citizens of Thousand Oaks to sign the recall petitions generally made everyone uneasy. Many of the artists in booths near the entrances complained that their sales were adversely affected.

To provide the community with a quality of life through free events such as ArtWalk takes a great deal of careful planning and organizing. Thousand Oaks city officials show no respect for citizens by not allowing them to enjoy this event without the intrusion of the petitioners. Everyone suffers--the artists, the public, the organizers and the Thousand Oaks City Council.

HELEN SARGENT

ArtWalk ’97 coordinator

Westlake Village