A personal thanks to outgoing director

A personal thanks to outgoing director

I was sad to read the article (“Parks director heads south,” Dec. 15) about Glendale Community Services & Parks Director George Chapjian leaving for a new post in Long Beach.

This will be a huge loss for Glendale, and he’ll leave some big shoes to fill. But I certainly understand the desire for someone as capable as Mr. Chapjian to take on new challenges.

In my capacity as head of the Historical Society of the Crescenta Valley, and my self-appointed role as local rabble-rouser, I’ve had plenty of chances to work with many local officials and department heads.

My last few years working with Chapjian have been some of my best experiences. We’ve collaborated on myriad of projects, from the opening of the Deukmejian Wilderness Park and trail building in the Verdugos, to movies in the park and Rockhaven Sanitarium restoration projects, and, lastly, on Deukmejian Wilderness Park fire and flood recovery.

I always felt like I, and the community as a whole, were partners with the Glendale parks department, rather than just recipients of services. Under his leadership, the community and his department planned and created as a team. The community has always felt it was in the loop, as Chapjian’s staff is comprised of great communicators — I assume at his insistence.

We’ll miss you, George Chapjian, and we’re sad to see you go. But it wasn’t a bad bargain for us. We got a heck of a lot during the seven years of your service. Thanks for all you’ve done for Glendale.

Mike Lawler

La Crescenta

An altertnative to the plastic bag ban

Though I approve of the principle of L.A. County’s recent ban on most plastic bags, I find an outright ban goes a bit too far, and might not even be legally feasible in the long run (“Worried about plastic’s effect on environment,” Dec. 18).

If an example must be followed, Glendale would be better off with Washington D.C.’s plastic bag plan. Rather than fully banning bags, they simply put a 5-cent tax on them. The tax is a double-edged sword: revenue goes to a clean-up fund aimed at discarded bags; people discouraged from paying the tax will likely get reusable bags, or find other alternatives.

Those of us who need the bags for other uses (like cleaning up after our cats) won’t mind paying an extra nickel. From what I hear, the Potomac has not been this clean in years.

Antonio E. Gonzalez

Glendale