Letters to the Editor: Newport city attorney should address business relationship between Duffield and Peotter

Re “Business linked to Newport mayor paid councilman to help create marijuana facility in Inland Empire, records show,” (Oct. 11): According to the state of California, DC Developments, a company our mayor, Marshall Duffield, is associated with, hired Newport Beach City Councilman Scott Peotter to appear in front of the Adelanto City Council seeking approval for a marijuana cultivation and distribution hub. For his counsel, payments of at least $10,000 were made from a company controlled by Duffield to a company connected to Peotter.

When an issue concerning the Newport Harbor comes before the council, Duffield recuses himself from voting due to potential business conflicts. I would encourage our city attorney, Aaron Harp, to review past City Council meetings to determine if Peotter, being an employee of Dufield should have done the same. If they felt there was nothing to hide, why have they refused for over a year to comment on their business arrangements?

Clay Wells

Newport Beach

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‘Muskrat Love’ comes to mind

Do you remember the song by Captain & Tennille, “Muskrat, Muskrat, candlelight, doing the town and doing it right …” It was the first thing that came to mind when I read about Muskrat Consultants, Mayor Marshall “Duffy” Duffield’s medicinal marijuana dispensary business, which Councilman Scott Peotter has advised. “Doing the town, doing it right…” That’s them, all right. They’ve been doing our town — now it’s time for a change. I’m voting for Tim Stoaks and Joy Brenner.

Nancy J. Smith

Newport Beach

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A change of heart on marijuana?

Who appeared before the Adelanto Planning Commission in September 2017 on behalf of Mayor Marshall “Duffy” Duffield’s DC Developments to request approval to subdivide the property? None other than fellow Newport City Councilman Scott Peotter, the same Peotter who voted in 2015 to ban medicinal marijuana in Newport Beach. A consulting fee of at least $10,000 from DC Developments convinced Peotter that medicinal marijuana wasn’t so bad after all.

Craig B. Smith

Newport Beach

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Team Newport is solid on public safety

School safety has been a major priority for grandparents, parents and students in our community and around the country. Our Newport-Mesa Unified trustees and Newport Beach City Council stepped up this year to address the concerns head on. With their combined leadership, our City Council added another school resource officer into our local high schools and middle schools, bringing the total number of SROs to three. Our City Council also added recently another crossing guard to the Newport Heights area surrounding Ensign Intermediate School.

This response does not happen without the leadership of our incumbents. I’m voting for Mayor Marshall “Duffy” Duffield, Councilman Kevine Muldoon, Councilman Scott Peotter and Councilwoman Diane Dixon to continue this positive trend in school safety.

Carl F. Thon

Corona Del Mar

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Letters reflect a minority view

While we are trying to promote equality for future generations in society, and in the workplace, we must be careful of complacency and at the other end of the spectrum — overreach in our daily lives. This is obviously not a new battle but one that has been brought to the forefront again in the last two years, in part by the attitude of some of our new leaders. And like some of those in our federal government, there are members in our local government who are out of touch in the treatment of their peers. Certainly it is one of our greatest rights — the freedom of the press — and as painful as it is for some of us to read misogynistic and extremist letters in our local newspapers and online, we can presently take comfort in the fact that these views are in the minority.

Lynn Lorenz

Newport Beach

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Katrina Foley gets things done

A friend of mine had a problem with registering her granddaughter for classes at one of our public schools. The school district had unilaterally decided the child should be sent to a different school. Since the child has special needs, it was important to keep her with her classmates so as to not increase her anxiety. My friend, who was already working through health issues of her own, was beside herself when she called me about the distress she and the child were experiencing.

I knew Councilwoman Katrina Foley could help. She is accessible, responsive and follows through. Foley has the ability, the desire and the leadership skills to get things accomplished. Foley called my friend, got the details, and then set out to solve the problem. She knew who to contact and in only a short period of time was able to arrange for the school change.

Much to my friend’s relief, she was able to register the child for classes, which has allowed her to progress with her education at a school best suited for her. Foley is dedicated, has the highest integrity and you can depend on her word.

Gay Royer

Costa Mesa

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