MAILBAG - Feb. 17, 2009

City’s pool plan is off the deep end

Regarding “Surplus saves cash for pool,” Thursday:

It makes very little sense to spend that much money on a pool in Pacific Park.

In these critical times, the money should be spent on traffic safety, homeless shelters, more police, helping the unemployed or any other vital projects.

If having a pool is so vital, why was the one existing in Pacific Park removed?

We also used to have one by the Civic Auditorium. In these down times, the expense and liability of a pool is a poor priority.

JIM DOBSON

Glendale

Sahakian is not a champion for schools

In Lindsay Grant’s recent letter (“This candidate has done his homework,” Mailbag, Saturday), she asserts that Glendale Unified School District board candidate Eric Sahakian’s former experience as an assistant principal at Toll Middle School and a counselor at Hoover High School has given him “advantageous knowledge” compared with the other incumbents and school board candidates. She also states he is in touch compared with the current board.

Frankly, I couldn’t disagree more. Sahakian is running for a position on a board representing the public schools and public school students of Glendale, yet he is sending his own child to a private school in La Cañada.

I find it insulting that a man who clearly lacks faith in our public school system wants parents to trust his judgment as far as our children are concerned.

Like Grant, I do believe that our kids deserve to have someone with experience representing their interests on the school board, but that candidate is not Sahakian.

LINDA GUZIK

Glendale

Where was the public input on stimulus bill?

As a candidate, President Obama promised that the public would have five days to look online and find out what was in his proposed bills before he signed them.

Well, another promise about to be broken. Obama is expected to sign the largest spending bill in U.S. history today, and it had only been posted online for 12 hours before it was voted on in the U.S. House and Senate.

I would like to know if Rep. Adam Schiff bothered to read the 1,100-page bill before signing (“Congress OKs stimulus bill,” Saturday).

I thought we were entering an era of transparency and responsibility, but so far, we have not seen the transparency, and certainly the trillion-dollar package does not represent responsibility on the government’s part.

God help us.

FRIEDA HOVSEP

Glendale

Shedding pounds for a very worthy cause

One-third of children born in 2000 will develop diabetes. Four of five of those will be overweight.

City Clerk Ardy Kassakhian, a Glendale Healthy Kids board member, committed to change his lifestyle and lose weight, setting an example for our children (“Weight battle set to help Healthy Kids,” PTA News, Jan. 13).

Admiring Kassakhian’s commitment, I joined his challenge.

Thus, the Losing It For The Kids weight-loss challenge began.

Kassakhian and I have committed to lose 30 pounds by April 18 and will contribute $10 per pound lost to Glendale Healthy Kids.

We now have 25 people committed to losing weight and donating from $1 to $10 per pound.

Healthy kids are inspired by a healthy example.

Diabetes has 10 chronic diseases associated with it, including heart disease, blindness, kidney disease and amputations. It is the fifth-leading cause of death by disease in the U.S.

Can Glendale set an example and lose a ton of weight by April 18?

With so many people making New Year’s resolutions to lose weight, eat healthier and exercise, I think that should be no problem.

By joining Losing It For The Kids, Glendale area residents can share the support of others and make that goal.

What could be better than helping a child have a better and healthier life?

Our final weigh-off will be at 11 a.m. April 18, at the Healthy Kids Day sponsored by the YMCA of Glendale and Glendale Healthy Kids.

Our nutrition and exercise sponsor, All About You! Wellness Bootcamp, will do the official weigh-off.

Losing a ton of weight, we can set an example for our children.

BRIAN BERGH

Glendale

EDITOR’S NOTE: Bergh is the president of Glendale Healthy Kids.