Council members first and foremost

A reader lamented the five-year closure of the Verdugo Recreation Center swimming pool (“Bring back the Verdugo pool,” April 18). The pool, closed due to excessive leaking, is a problem that the city council should have addressed the first summer the pool sat idle. But it was not a concern for the majority of current council members, the same ones who readily gave $2 million to the money-losing DeBell Golf Club. For these council members, the golf course is more important; it is the recreational facility for themselves and their cronies.

Because Burbank, like many other cities nationwide, is experiencing economic austerity, it seems that the council members ensured that their priorities would be taken care of first and foremost. But what about the folks living within walking distance of the pool, especially the many children of low-income families living on Rosemary Lane that borders the east side of Verdugo Park? Well, these folks will just have to wait another year, until summer 2013, before they can swim at Verdugo Park.

Hopefully, next year at election time, Burbank voters will turn out en masse to vote out of office Jess Talamantes and Dave Golonski, should these two councilmen decide to run again. They, along with Councilman Gary Bric, gave away millions of our taxpayer dollars to the golf course, while at the same time denying children and families in Magnolia Park and surrounding areas the same access to municipal recreation facilities these councilmen have readily provided for themselves, their family and friends.

Molly Shore

Burbank