Greenbelt Inc. Does Not Share El Morro Money

Re “El Morro Residents Labor to Stay Put,” Jan. 24.

The El Morro trailer park has floated a new scheme to allow the trailers to stay in Crystal Cove State Park beyond the expiration of their lease at the end of 2004.

In the packet sent to the press, the names of two non-profit organizations were listed as beneficiaries of supposedly excess revenues: State Parks Foundation, a state-wide organization that supports state parks; and Laguna Greenbelt, Inc.

The Board of the Laguna Greenbelt Inc. wishes to reassure our supporters and members that we want nothing to do with this proposal other than to see it defeated.

Our name was recklessly linked to this proposal after I specifically told their representative, almost a week beforehand, that we wouldn’t accept their money, and that there are no circumstances under which we would support an extension of the trailer park lease. To include us in the press packet was a political dirty trick.

For 35 years, Laguna Greenbelt has earned its reputation for commitment and integrity in service of our three goals: preservation of Orange County open space and natural resources, public access to open space and public education about that open space. To suggest that we would be willing to compromise the trust and good will of our supporters, and the Laguna Beach community as a whole, reveals the stay-at-all-cost strategy apparently adopted by a faction in the trailer park.

Elisabeth M. Brown, PhD

President,

Laguna Greenbelt Inc.