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LETTERS to the EDITOR


Due to the volume of letters, many of them have been edited for length. The full text can be found at foothillssentry.com


The race is on


Dear Editor: I loved reading your article


“New face in Orange council race.” As a community member in-


volved in the “Save Peralta” ef- fort, I know how critical it is to have community-minded leaders at the helm in our city. Fortunately for all of us, Kim Nichols is running for city coun- cil this fall. She’s been a true part of the fabric of the community for many years, and has demonstrat- ed her commitment to the contin- ued vitality of our great city. Kim has deep roots in Orange and has served as president of the Orange Public Library Foundation and as board president of the OUSD. Kim is a long-time PTA leader, having attended and raised three children in Orange public schools. As a homeowner and a small business owner, she is personally vested in the local economy. More than any other candidate, Kim brings the leadership skills that we need to keep Orange special.


Darren Scott Orange


Dear Editor: As we consider candidates for


the OUSD board this fall, wouldn’t it be great if our school board... ...focused on education, rather than real estate development and the fire sale of properties. ...embraced the idea of full trans- parency and ethics training, rather than questioning the need for it, given the prospect of receiving millions of bond dollars from the public. ...listened to the will of the public, to whom they are accountable. ...had members who were respect- ful and polite, and didn’t bully or display rude behavior. If this were to happen, the Or-


ange Unified School Board would look a lot different. Candidates Florice Hoffman and Tim Perez would replace Timothy Surridge and Rick Ledesma; incumbent Kathy Moffat would be re-elect- ed; un-opposed Diane Singer would return; the board would be back on course, ensuring that our students are getting the first class education they deserve.


Jason Shuppert Orange


Dear Editor: It’s appalling that Fred Whitak-


er and Ray Grangoff believe they know what’s best for our neigh- borhoods and are running for city


Foothills Sentry


council again. Their positions at the Sentry Candidate Forum were disturbing. Both have been heavily funded


by out of town developers in past campaigns. Both continue to push the developer's agenda. Both vote against the people on important land use issues. Whita- ker defied the public three times! Both try to impose their party politics and ideology on Orange. I have lived in Orange for 57


years, I'am a life-long Republi- can and small business owner. There’s absolutely no place for these guys on our city council. Orange voters deserve much bet- ter and should reject both Whita- ker and Grangoff.


Bob Kirkeby Orange


Dear Editor:


Jon Dumitru fooled us all. In 2012 it came to light that Jon Dumitru has a trail of financial problems, unpaid bills and even filed for bankruptcy. If Dumitru can’t manage his own personal finances why would we trust on city council with our city check- book? Now that he is out, why would anyone be fooled again? Thank goodness for term limits.


Charles Leffler Former OPA resident


Friendly fire


Dear Editor: During this November’s elec-


tion, we will be asked to vote on the issue of whether or not Villa Park should continue to allow the use of safe and sane fireworks on the Fourth of July. As the fire- works proponents’ failed to file on time, the voter pamphlet will contain no arguments in favor of the measure. As a result, Villa Park residents are presented with only one view. Accordingly, here is a brief synopsis of the situation, so you will have a more informed basis for your vote. The motivations for authoriz-


ing the fireworks were: To allow residents freedom to celebrate the Fourth of July with


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their children as many of us did as children with our parents. Recognizing that many resi-


dents will celebrate the Fourth of July with fireworks, regard- less of the city’s prohibitions, it appeared safer to remove the prohibition and regulate the use. Rather than having the fireworks ignited in backyards near veg- etation and structures, the same are to be openly utilized in front yards, away from flammable structures and vegetation, with water available. This activity can be monitored. To allow our schools and chari-


ties to benefit from the product sales was deemed preferable to having that revenue go to other cities with those fireworks being ignited in Villa Park. The arguments against remov-


ing the fireworks ban asserted that we would have increased fires, crime, illegal fireworks use, injuries and that the monetary benefits to the community would be insignificant. The fireworks ordinance passed


by the city council in 2013 and extended in 2014 authorized the use of state-approved safe and sane fireworks from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. on the Fourth of July. Safe and sane fireworks are displayed in a small area to reduce fire and injury risk; none of them are al- lowed to be airborne. Sellers are limited to qualify-


ing local charitable organizations, e.g., Cerro Villa Middle School, Villa Park High School football and band boosters and, this year, the Villa Park Rotary club. There were no reported inju-


ries; no reported fires; no addi- tional reported crime; and no ex- tra trash during the two year trial. In fact, many of our residents swept and washed the streets. The schools/charities collectively earned $85,000 to $100,000 each year. The city had no enhanced clean-up costs and retained the license fees for other city ex-


Tuesday, October 14, 2014


penses. If you desire more specifics,


you are welcome to inquire of city staff.


Rick Barnett Mayor, City of Villa Park


Not so neighborly


Dear Editor: I am writing to you about problems with the girls home on Ranch Wood Trail in OPA. I have no problems with the girls, it’s the boys that use our road to go see the girls. They have worn down our private Amapola Alley, which is the only entrance for those who live on this road. They created their own private driveway to the back of their property, I have photos of seven or eight different vehicles, filled with as many as seven boys, running in and out of the gate they made. The Amapola island I live on is


a county road. The Ranch Wood Trail residence is in the city of Orange, and has trash pick up in front. All they need to do is put the horse manure in rolling carts, as others do, and roll them out the front gate. I have the original maps from 1929 and 1984. The road was then 40 feet wide, which are the city and county require- ments. My neighbors have had cars roll down into the berm that the Ranch Wood people built, and my visitors and I cannot pass any car at the corner where they have cut us off. Our road is now 12 feet wide because of the damage done. The girls are welcome but the


owners or directors are complete- ly oblivious to outside rules. They have gone beyond the scope of normal residential modifications. I have personally been to the house to talk to them and they say they are busy and will get back to me. Thanks for your attention. I have been blocked on my road coming home many times. I wish


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