Letter to the editor: Filling pool deemed a ‘hardship’ during drought?
Having received, like everyone else in Morgan Hill, the official notice for drought water restrictions I was somewhat perturbed to hear the continued construction of a neighbor’s new pool. Yes we had signed off on it per home owner’s requirements but that was before the dire notice sent out by the city.When speaking to an official from the city I was told that they did know of the pool which was under construction but because a permit had been pulled prior to April 1 it was deemed a “hardship” if the pool would not be completed.Don’t get me wrong but water needed to grow food, to drink, and generally survive constitutes a hardship if we do not have it—not being unable to fill a pool and continually top it up throughout the summer.I think classifying a pool not being filled during a drought as a hardship is an affront to those of us who try and save water!Ashley DuncombeMorgan Hill
Letters to the editor: ‘Original Navy SEAL’ to speak at Feb. 14 event
Keep growth balancedDear Elected and Appointed Morgan Hill Representatives,In recent weeks we have had extensive meetings and discussions with representatives from a large number of Morgan Hill’s major private employers, and every one of these companies is in a solid growth mode. Many of them are considering physical expansions as they have filled out their current facilities. They need to know that there is a place for them to expand into; otherwise they will be forced to expand and/or relocate elsewhere.Since this time last year, much has changed … and all of those changes further support the argument against land conversions of this type. Our industrial building vacancy rate has dropped from a great recession high of approximately 20 percent to about 3 percent today. Meanwhile, large numbers of new housing units have been built, but the vast majority of them are occupied by commuters and retirees. The counterintuitive argument that more housing will automatically mean more good paying jobs in Morgan Hill has, in fact, not been demonstrated. Housing has been added at a much, much faster pace than have good paying jobs. Meanwhile, many cities to our north have been pursuing a job focused development program; relying ever more heavily on communities like Morgan Hill to provide the housing, services and amenities people need to live their lives.A healthy Morgan Hill must be a balanced Morgan Hill. That is why we have land reserved for industrial development in our General Plan. Those in the development business focus on doing the projects now which can make money now, and then they typically move on. The point of zoning and planning is to ensure that an appropriate long term view is taken as we further build out our terrific city.Please continue to support a robust, balanced Morgan Hill by denying requests for industrial land conversion to residential uses. Yes, Morgan Hill needs more apartments, but not at the cost of building a balanced city.Sincerely yours, John T. Horner, President and CEO of the Morgan Hill Chamber of Commerce Coffee with the MayorThe first Coffee with the Mayor for 2015 will be 10 to 11:30 a.m. Feb. 7 at BookSmart. Coffee with the Mayor gives Morgan Hill residents an opportunity to give input to the mayor in a very relaxed and informal environment. The “input” can be anything—questions, suggestions, criticism (hopefully constructive!) or just a friendly chat to get more familiar with the mayor and with Morgan Hill governance. Some regulars come because they want to hear what other attendees have to say, and that’s fine, too. The coffee is on the mayor and BookSmart very graciously provides some yummy treats to complement their great coffee. The mayor and City Council will have concluded their annual goal setting retreat the previous weekend, so Mayor Tate will give an overview and provide an opportunity for residents to provide feedback on the city’s direction. The mayor usually brings along a guest but for this first meeting of the year, he will go it alone. Steve Tate, Morgan Hill‘Original Navy SEAL’ to speak in MHFriends and Family of Nisei Veterans (FFNV) will hold its annual membership meeting Feb. 14, 2015 at the rear building of Morgan Hill Buddhist Community Center, 16450 Murphy Avenue. Pot-luck lunch will be served at 11:30 a.m. for FFNV members and the main program will start at about 12:30 p.m. The program portion of this meeting is open to the public.Our guest speaker will be William Goehner, Jr., of Morgan Hill. At the beginning of World War II, he joined the Navy at age 16 and volunteered for the elite Underwater Demolition Team (UDT), popularly known as “frogmen.” The UDT was the original Navy SEAL. He led many “suicide missions” against the German Navy and became one of the most decorated and fastest promoted sailor in the Navy. In Hollywood’s Oscar-nominated movie “The Frogmen” (1951), Goehner was portrayed by Richard Widmark. Goehner will take you through a harrowing and danger-packed mission to mine a German submarine base in the Baltic Sea to a heartwarming encounter with a young German soldier while on a reconnaissance mission on Normandy just before D-Day.Brian Shiroyama, Morgan Hill
Letters to the editor: School board networking helps inform trustees
School board networking helps inform trusteesDear Editor,Your editorial about the school board travel expenses was small-minded and ill-informed. First of all, most school board members volunteer their time. They are community members with great intentions, but often lacking in the extensive knowledge needed to be effective in their volunteer jobs. A couple of bone-headed decisions could cost the school district many times this expense. Effective school board members educate themselves by networking with peers around the state, and building both political and other alliances within their immediate and neighboring communities. It is important to be able to tap into the knowledge of others when making important decisions, and to connect with those who fund education and pass legislation in Sacramento affecting local schools. You don't get this by staying at home, or making it harder to attend meetings and events in various locations around the state. Tom Scott, Morgan Hill
