MAILBAG - Aug. 2, 2007

City shouldn’t forget investments in future

To the city of Glendale:

On July 22, we had our first family baseball game. Thanks for the use of your field. But my brother-in-law and I were amazed. Our kids played at Babe Herman 20 to 25 years ago, and the same divots, same weeds and the same bare spots are still there in the outfield.

Recently, a father donated a great scoreboard in honor of his son. New lights have been installed. Why can’t something be done to improve this great baseball field?

In talking to a father who was playing there, I got the impression (hopefully I understood him correctly) that in order to use the lights and the scoreboard, permits have to be taken out for each event at Babe Herman.

You have to apply for each event; that would be three separate permits for each event. The lights and the scoreboard are controlled by a company back East and sent back by satellite. (Will India be next?)

One mistake happens and there could be no lights or no scoreboard. What happened to the good old days when you opened the press box and turned on the lights and scoreboard by hand?

He also said that the city will be charging baseball and soccer teams for using the field. How much time is donated by men and women in teaching and coaching our kids? If they start charging on one field, they will start charging for all fields.

How many kids in Glendale use these fields? Thousands and thousands of our boys and girls.

Think of all the money misspent by city government, and then they want to charge our kids — the future of tomorrow.

The city installed speed radar signs on both sides of Cañada Boulevard by Babe Herman and the fire station. They took months to install.

This was to slow down traffic in an area where there are a lot of children. Great idea. But after about two weeks the sign northbound stopped working. This was about five months ago, and it is still not working. In calling the traffic department, they said they know about it, but it was a large company they were dealing with and they were very busy across the United States.

Was the city of Glendale too busy to pay them? I doubt it.

With all that is going on in the world these days, let’s not forget our children and our grandkids.

WAYNE HOLMES

Glendale

Home shows need for campaign reform

The City Council on Tuesday considered the city attorney’s report on campaign finance reform. Included in the report were discussion items on expenditure limits and a rule creating time restrictions on campaign contributions from persons with pending project applications with the city.

Having just spent 18 months trying to stop the conversion of 702 E. Glenoaks Blvd. from residential to commercial use, I know first-hand the damage that can be caused when a councilmember accepts campaign contributions from a project applicant.

Former Councilman Raffi Manoukian allowed the owners of 702 E. Glenoaks Blvd. to hold a large fundraiser for him just two weeks before the first council hearing on the rezoning. He saw no need to recuse himself from the deliberations.

Manoukian also introduced a new ordinance, refunding the filing fees to this major campaign contributor. This city should not stand for such behavior.

These reforms need to be instituted.

SUSAN ROBERTS

Glendale

Structure not tops on a list of priorities

I am and have always been opposed to this massive bridge project to benefit one business (“Council mulls $32-million bridge,” Tuesday).

This flyover will have a negative impact on neighbors, and even though we have been promised an 8-foot sound wall on this “bridge to nowhere for nothing” as we have named it, it will have little effect on the trucks gearing up to start up this bridge.

I cannot imagine that Disney has enough employees coming from cities east of Glendale to justify this project when there are freeways in serious disrepair and city streets that need attention.

JUDY TAYLOR

Glendale

Police activity was very welcome sight

I was very pleased the Glendale Police Department was out in full force on Saturday night conducting a sobriety checkpoint on Verdugo Road between Colorado Street and Broadway.

They should do more of these because it shows that they truly care about the public’s safety.

LESLIE MORGAN

Glendale

Pride in our soldiers should adorn streets

It will be gratifying to this grandmother of a soldier if Glendale would hang Hometown Hero banners for all to see. These young men and women deserve thanks from each of us. My location choice would be Cañada Boulevard, but any busy street works.

On a recent trip east, we saw these banners shown proudly in small towns across the Midwest.

The City Council and powers-that-be, please honor our selfless, young service people.

I am the grandmother of Sgt. James Ballantyne, now serving in Iraq

JACQUELINE CASTLEMAN

Glendale

Reflecting on past area’s simplicity

It is Saturday, 8:45 in the evening, driving through Montrose at Ocean View Boulevard.

People are walking hand in hand. Sidewalk cafes are filled. The only stops are for pedestrians and the one red light.

What Glendale wouldn’t give for that again.

DOMINIC SALVATORE

Glendale