Letters to the Editor

Unimpressed With AIM

Dear Editor,

“Pure Mathematics on its way,” declared your May 25 headline.

Pure something is on its way, that is certain.

Pure disrespect for permit laws.

Pure disregard for appropriate environmental behavior.

Pure contempt for the neighbors bordering the golf course.

Pure impotence on behalf of Morgan Hill’s government to force these people to do what is right and legal, by making them remove that berm and wall of trees surrounding the golf course.

In the question and answer session with Brian Conrey, the question was asked “What will the research institute mean to Morgan Hill?

What about San Martin? For those of us living west of this institute, what’s in it for us other than more traffic, pollutants and crowds? I moved here because of the rural nature of this area, not because I wanted to look at “John Fry’s original vision.”

It is a sad sign of our times when we become complacent and allow those with wealth to act as if a community is their own personal fiefdom, and those of who live in their path of progress are helpless to do anything about it.

Dawn Peru, San Martin

Wrong to Deny Islam

Dear Editor,

When I first heard of the plans for a new Islamic Center in South County, I wondered how long it would take before there was a backlash. When I read Bill Currie’s May 29 letter against the project, I knew it did not take long.

Currie has cloaked his comments in a protest about the scale of the project. Yet, he is specific that it is a mosque that gives him a problem. He could have said “edifice” or “religious building” but did not. Which made me wonder it, had this been another house of worship, might it have gathered praise in Reaganesque “shining city” language. Maybe the writer has bought into the Rovian language of Bush’s War on Terror where everything Islamic is tainted by the acts of a few who would appropriate the language of a great religion to give cover to their actions.

I was once a licensed lay preacher in the Methodist Church. I attended a small Christian college where I learned to value the search for truth and to doubt those who proclaimed that it had been revealed to them. I joined a fraternity and we were the first to pledge an Islamic student from Morocco. From that association, we all learned a lot.

Shutting out our Islamic brother would have been a mistake then and shutting out our Islamic neighbors would be a mistake now.

Wesley C. Rolley, Morgan Hill

Labor Agreement Thanks

Dear Editor,

I would like to take this opportunity to thank all the members of the Service Employees International Union Local 521 negotiating team who worked so hard on the recently approved labor contract. It was a long hard road to get to an agreement. I believe it is the best settlement we could get at this time. We still have more work to do and we will get it done.  

I would also like to thank the employees who went to school board meetings to show their support of us and those who came out to vote in support of the agreement. Included in my sincere thanks are the teachers, school board members and the community who supported us in this endeavor.

Thanks also to the staff of the Morgan Hill Times and especially Marilyn Dubil and Sheila Sanchez who through their articles educated the public and kept them informed of our plight.

Pamela Torrisi,

Chapter chair, SEIU Local 521

AIM Should Be Green

Dear Editor,

I have a couple of comments about the new American Institute of Mathematics in Morgan Hill.

I am not qualified to comment on the architecture, but I think the building should serve as a model for green office buildings. That is, the building should be energy efficient and use renewable energy sources. I would even support wind turbines at the site. Recycled water should be considered for the very extensive landscaping and golf course.

I don’t understand the work that will be done at the institute. A good goal would be to explain possible applications or eventual benefits of the work in words that most of us can understand. For example, what is the object known as E8, what are L-functions, etc.? How has the public benefited from past work?

Ken Mort, Morgan Hill

No Jackson Oaks Trails

Dear Editor,

I live in Jackson Oaks and have now attended three city-sponsored meetings regarding the trails. I’ve become frustrated in listening to residents voice their concerns about the proposed trails, which, with the exception of Morgan Hill Public Works Director Jim Ashcraft, seem to be falling on deaf ears. Concerns have been voiced by many professionals including fire and law enforcement, but it seems our concerns are being shelved and classified as hysterical, paranoid or just written off as “not in my backyard” issues.

The consultants have said that the trails in Jackson Oaks would mostly serve the residents of Jackson Oaks. OK, mostly. That means we can expect an increase in traffic into the Jackson Oaks neighborhood. Jackson Oaks Drive is basically a very narrow dead-end street, no sidewalks and with inadequate street parking, particularly around the access areas shown on the trail plan.

New residential developments often build into their plan some sort of recreational amenities, whether it be a small park or walking paths around the neighborhood. Potential home buyers can embrace what the neighborhood offers. This was not the case with the inception of the Jackson Oaks neighborhood. The city wants to “implant” this trail into a neighborhood that has existed for more than 35 years. Forget the concerns about increased fire danger, parking, crime, litter or wildlife, this trail is just plain intrusive. There are areas along the proposed trail, where a homeowner could high five a passing biker from their backyard deck. And pedestrian-only trails would be one thing, but anyone who knows anything about downhill mountain biking knows that walkers and mountain bikers don’t do well on the same path.

And, if the trails, as the consultants point out, are to primarily serve Jackson Oaks residents, and we overwhelmingly oppose them, why build them?

A recent column in the Morgan Hill Times suggests that Jackson Oaks residents are bullying city officials and trail proponents. What an absurd statement. They are a majority of passionate and responsible neighborhood residents, not a gang. The columnist, Lisa Pampuch, also urges Morgan Hill residents to speak out if they support the trails or public access to publicly owned open space areas. OK, not all Morgan Hill residents would use paths in Jackson Oaks, but all Morgan Hill residents should have the right to voice opinion of projects directly impacting their neighborhoods. And when the opinion, whether for or against is an overwhelming majority, it should be respected.

Also and predictably, the columnist quickly dismisses the fire concerns because 503 homes have the potential to start fires but we still consider it a safe enough place to live. For one thing, we live life on our maintained properties, not on the parched hillsides where the trails would go. She can be assured that Jackson Oaks residents are acutely aware of the fire dangers and act accordingly. I guess she’s assuming that we can rely on the additional visitors to the area doing the same.

Joseph E.Guglielmoni, Morgan Hill