| | Published June 23rd, 2010
| Letters to the Editor
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Editor:
I experienced an INCREDIBLE burst of optimism when I saw the Grand Re-opening Sign on the Rheem Theatre! When I went to the website: thenewrheemtheatre.com, I immediately signed up for a membership and encourage others to do so -- what a deal!! I would also hope that others, who share even a fraction of my enthusiasm, send an email to Beau@caiff.org to voice your appreciation and offer ideas on what movies/events you would like to see at the Rheem. I certainly went way overboard with my own list - including classic film appreciation classes for children and adults; showing old John Wayne style Westerns (too violent? HA!), classic musicals like The Sound of Music; and Rocky Horror type movies - or vampire movie marathons - for the teens.
This is so totally exciting, but I am holding off on giving the bad news to my 8 year old son about the Pet Shoppe. All of those years of looking at the bunnies and mice in the window -- it's very sad. How will I be able to bribe him to finish his burger at Nations now? But another closure because of this Kimco group?! URGGGGHHH! Is there really nothing we can do to get them out of our community? It's just a shame and disgrace.
But, back to being optimistic! Thank you CAIFFA! I hope our community will fully support your efforts on our behalf. Let's go to the movies!
Jari Hazard
Moraga
Editor:
This encourages the Moraga Town Council to consider the full range of alternatives in replacing the Town Manager.
Mike Segrest's anticipated resignation is unfortunate and I wish him well.
Current fiscal realities dictate economizing, and the approximately $300,000 annual cost for Town Manager (per 2010 Town Budget) is a prime opportunity. Alternative options for reducing costs can include:
- Set a lower target salary for a less experienced but still suitably qualified Town Manager. Moraga is a small town and we can rely on the town's professional and well-qualified department managers.
- Broaden the potential candidate population to include local residents with executive, legal, or other professional administrative experience that are applicable to the duties of Town Manager. There are examples substantiating that this is a workable alternative.
- Pursue opportunities to efficiently share the Town Manager with a similar nearby town.
- Eliminate the Town Manager position and make the Mayor a paid full-time position (I know of an analogous town with a Mayor's salary of $106,000 and no Town Manager).
Deviating from the norm is uncomfortable, but these challenging times demand change. To replace the Town Manager, I encourage the Town Council to plan carefully, identify and consider the full range of alternatives, and make a high-quality decision that includes reducing Moraga's operating costs as one of the selection criteria.
Steve Woehleke
Moraga
Editor:
The proposed preliminary development plan for the Orinda parcel which contains the historic Moraga Adobe is deeply flawed. This preliminary plan proposes 13 houses on the parcel, whereas the housing density (houses/acre) used for the Wilder (Gateway Valley) development plan would allow only 3 houses. Orinda should follow the Wilder precedent and not crowd access to the Moraga Adobe, Orinda's first house.
There will be only one road into or out of the development. If there is a moderate earthquake on this slide-prone land and a fire breaks out, this road could be closed to both fire trucks trying to go in and to residents trying to escape. Such an unreachable fire would spread through this heavily forested parcel and burning embers would ignite the brush-covered nearby hills, which could form a firestorm like the great Oakland fire and burn down Orinda. There must be two roads into the development, one at the top and one at the bottom of the parcel.
The developers plan to use a private road, owned by the residents of the road, to access the development. They will do this without the permission of the private road residents and without any payment to the residents for use of their road. Keep in mind that private road residents pay the same taxes as public road residents but get no City money for their road repair. The developers have two other access routes available.
Finally, can we rely on the developers to protect Orinda from hazards in the development? Let's look at the record. Without any clearance from the Fire District the developers began cutting down big trees with chain saws. Sparks from chain saws are believed to be the cause of several major California fires. A neighbor heard the saws and called the Fire District. The Fire Marshal immediately shut down the sawing until all flammable vegetation was cleared in a 100-foot radius around the sawing. Sparks from those saws could have started a major Orinda fire.
If you would like to be kept informed about this development, send your
e-mail address to: sclydevau@att.net.
Clyde Vaughn
Orinda
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Lamorinda Weekly, Moraga CA