Bickering over the rose float

Thank you for your article on Tuesday, titled, “Rose float group rolls to a stop.” As a long-time resident of Glendale, I am appalled at what I read.

To hear how City Hall and the Glendale Rose Float Assn. bicker like children over the float makes me sick. People, this is not very hard. I think having a float in the Rose Parade is great for city pride.

I doubt if the money is the root of the cause here. Look at the cities represented in this year’s Rose Parade and their approximate populations: South Pasadena, 25,000; La Cañada Flintridge, 21,000; Alhambra, 85,000; Burbank, 103,000; Downey, 107,000; Torrance, 147,000. All have been participating for years.

My city of Glendale has about 200,000 people, many of whom drive very expensive cars. We are not a poor city. I don’t think the city has made an effort to get the information about the float to the public. I have never once personally been asked to donate to the float-building, or to participate in a fundraiser.

Americana at Brand developer Rick Caruso and other business leaders stepped in to help, and he might do so again, if necessary. How about sponsorship from the Brand Boulevard of Cars?

You may claim it’s a money issue, but I beg to differ. It’s a control issue. The article states animal rights activists didn’t like the way the elephant was portrayed. Puh-lease!

The city didn’t like the design, or who sat on the float? Folks, this should be hashed out by August.

Preparing for a float is a team effort. Maybe the city should sit down with the float designers earlier to get things hashed out. Every year we go to watch Councilman Dave Weaver and the rest of the volunteers decorate the float. This year the Glendale float had the least amount of volunteers. Where was everyone?

I watched Weaver spend an hour putting yellow roses in a small area of the float. This should be something that brings Glendale together, not apart.

Listen, everyone. You sound like children who can’t get their way, so you take your ball and go home at the expense of everyone else. I beg you to reconsider.

Perhaps consider bringing in outsider to mediate. Don’t let a 33-year tradition to such a beautiful event fall to the wayside over petty issues.

William Snoberger

Glendale