Dear Editor, Leadership Morgan Hill wishes to publicly recognize
new Police Chief David Swing. Back when he was a new MHPD officer,
David Swing joined the Leadership Class of 2001.
Leadership Morgan Hill congratulates Chief David Swing
Dear Editor,
Leadership Morgan Hill wishes to publicly recognize new Police Chief David Swing. Back when he was a new MHPD officer, David Swing joined the Leadership Class of 2001. It is with immense pride that we see him named police chief, delivering on his promise of community leadership. As Leadership Morgan Hill prepares to welcome yet another 23 potential leaders into the Class of 2011, David Swing affirms our commitment to ignite the passion, inspire the commitment and sharpen the skills of the leaders who will create a dynamic Morgan Hill.
Congratulations, Chief!
Ken Meagor, President, Board of Directors, Leadership Morgan Hill
Police show complete lack of respect for citizens of Morgan Hill
Dear Editor,
I am pleased to hear that the Morgan Hill Police Department has a new police chief, because there is definitely something seriously wrong with the way the citizens of Morgan Hill are treated by the local police.
My husband and I purchased our first home in Morgan Hill in February 2009. On our 17th wedding anniversary in July 2009, we had our first experience with the Morgan Hill police department. We were celebrating by having a barbecue. I happened to be in the front yard watering my plants when two police officers approached on foot and said they were canvassing the neighborhood and could they ask me a few questions. I invited them into the yard. They were asking if I had seen a man that often worked as a contractor, or a specific truck he drove. I said I did not recall anyone matching that description, however, my husband was much more observant than I, so I went to get my husband, and invited the police into our home. They asked my husband the same questions and he told them that when we moved in he had seen someone shortly thereafter working on the rental property next door that might fit the description, but he couldn’t be sure. The police thanked us and left.
Imagine our surprise when a few hours later an entire swat team of police officers reappeared and began asking the same questions over and over again. My husband gave them the same answers. A few days later, one of our neighbors approached us and said that the police had been asking the neighbors questions about us and wanted to know if we had a “secret room” in the garage. I was livid to say the least. We had not lived here more than a few months and now our neighbors were wondering what kind of people we were. We have a 10-year-old daughter and this made it even more difficult for her as the other children’s parents were reluctant to let their children play with her.
What was the most irritating about the entire situation was how unnecessary it was. First, we would have let them look in the garage if they had asked, but they did not. Second, if they had taken the time to check us out they would have found that we had just purchased the home and that extensive repairs had been done to the garage before we moved in due to termite damage. The police acted as if we had some affiliation with this individual they were looking for. We bought the home after it had been on the market for almost two years and the people that owned it previously had been foreclosed upon. We had no idea who the people that owned this house previously were, or who the police were looking for. Both my husband and I work full time and neither one of us even has a parking ticket.
I was astonished that the police would do this to law-abiding citizens, but was afraid to say anything for fear they would retaliate as they obviously had no problem with tarnishing the reputation of two of their most law-abiding citizens.
Two years later and I still see the same arrogant and disrespectful behavior for the citizens of Morgan Hill by the police. My husband had major surgery at the beginning of December. The day I picked him up and brought him home from the hospital, there was a police car parked blocking our driveway when we got to the house. The officer had two individuals on the curb in front of our house. We had to park a distance away and try and walk my husband to the door. The officer could clearly see that my husband had on slippers and a back brace and was walking very slowly, but do you think that he apologized for blocking the driveway, or offered to move the police car down a bit? Not a chance.
These two events have convinced me that there is something very wrong with this police department. If there isn’t corruption, then as I said earlier, there definitely is a complete lack of respect for the law-abiding citizens of Morgan Hill. I no longer trust the police department here. They won’t ever be invited onto my property again.
I hope that a change in management can address some of these issues.
E. Joice, Morgan Hill
Wildlife trail along Llagas Creek is not a new idea
Dear Editor,
The concept of a wildlife trail along little Llagas Creek is not new. Years ago a dedicated group of artists and I presented the concept of a Wildlife Sculpture Trail along the creek through the down town and beyond to the City Council, Parks and Recreation Commission, Planning Commission and the Senior Advisory Commission. It received unanimous approval. Both the current mayor and the city manager should not have to be reminded about the project’s design, intent and value to the community. These efforts and previous approvals should never be forgotten.
The restoration of a fully public – open riparian corridor able to sustain habitat is clearly what the community wants and needs. The added bonus of wildlife sculpture integrated along the trail as provided by local and national artists for review and/or for a national completion as done in other communities would draw social, cultural and economic opportunities to the city. Yes, the trail could be an economic draw that could bring visitors to Morgan Hill in celebration of the arts and wildlife.
So dear council, let me remind you of previous approvals, the need to be diligent in this project, to restore the creek to its natural state along with its functional needs. Let me remind this council of our General Plan and the communities commitment to restore riparian corridors, let me remind this council of the Parks Master Plan and that the restoration of this creek would add greatly to our need for open and natural park space in particular around the downtown where a new community of 500 families is about to take hold as part of the new downtown redevelopment. Let me remind this council that the restored creek reaffirms our love of nature and the surrounding foothills.
Council members who miss this opportunity will misrepresent and understate the needs of this community, and that would just be a shame.
Please contact our council and commissioners (in care of Ms. Theresa Walker, city clerk, th************@***********ca.gov) and let them know that you support the restoration of Little Llagas Creek and its integration within our community.
Mark Grzan, former Vice Mayor and Councilmember, city of Morgan Hill
Singing to veterans made them – and those singing – happy
Dear Editor,
I went to sing Patriotic songs like “America the Beautiful” for the veterans at the (Centennial) Recreation Center on Nov. 9. And it didn’t only make them happy, it made me happy. I was excited to meet the veterans. I was hoping to see them in uniform, and I did see one.
Singing made me realize how much I care about my city and how beautiful it is – especially when I sang “American the Beautiful.” I also learned about people in the war and how I hope we win in the war.
It was really fun to sing to the veterans. I loved it!
Samantha Barnes, third-grader at Barrett Elementary School
