Courtroom vindication
Dear ER:
Rescue Our Waterfront PAC along with Redondo Beach Mayor Bill Brand, his volunteer treasure Linda Moffat and Councilmember Nils Nehrenheim, and myself won big in court last week [“Mayor Brand, Councilmember Nehrenheim prevail in Redondo Beach election lawsuit,” ER Nov. 22, 2018].
This was against the malicious and frivolous lawsuit filed by Chris Voisey and Arnette Travis to financially and personally harm us. While it’s certainly something to celebrate, all we won was proof that what we said all along was true.
This after a year and half of legal filings, 12 depositions, courthouse meetings, hundreds of lost personal hours, threats to our respective businesses, lost work, lost wages, stress, libel and defamation.
We learned during trial that Redondo Beach Waterfront LLC, which is CenterCal and Westport Capital, were behind the lawsuit all along. This despite plaintiffs Chris Voisey and Arnette Travis telling the press an outright lie they were paying for the lawsuit with their own money.
To give you an idea just how bad this looked even the judge made a formal judicial decree saying “this was a sham lawsuit filed by shills for the developer”. So I have to ask how some Redondo Beach council members still support these “shills,” and CenterCal properties.
From all accounts it appears Council Members Laura Emdee, Christian Horvath, and John Gran knew about the lawsuit against us before we were even served notice. For residents in Districts 3 and 5 please remember this fact on Election Day March 5, 2019.
Wayne Craig
President, ROW PAC
Redondo Beach
Remembering Mick
Dear ER:
Sad week with the loss of Mick Felder [“Hermosa Beach’s Mick Felder lost in motorcycle crash,” ER Nov. 22, 2018]. When I was 16 he fixed a dent in my car for next to nothing. He wrote an estimate, fixed it, took my money, and gave me a receipt. Years later I realized that while he didn’t want me to know it, he low bid it to help out a kid who otherwise would have not been able to get that dent fixed.
Everyone in Hermosa Beach loved Mick. He really loved Hermosa Beach. He was especially liked by his many friends on the police department. He fixed more than a few ‘aw crap’ dents in police cars for many of us, on the quiet over his weekend, so no one would be the wiser for it.
It was always good seeing him at car and motorcycle events, up until the weekend before his death. Mick never had a cross word for anyone. He seemed to always expect the best from people and he capitalized on their good traits when dealing with them. He stayed lifelong friends with anyone he ever became friends with.
Mick was one of the people who created the SoCal car culture that still lives today. Everything from Gullwing Mercedes, Porsches, MG Midgets, to British Motorcycles and American 1930s Hot Rods.
RIP Mick Felder, they don’t make them like you anymore.
Steve Endom
HBPD, retired
Close call
Dear ER:
We thank you for your service and for protecting so many homes and structures from this devastating fire [“South Bay firefighting crews battle Woolsey fire,” ER Nov. 15, 2018]! My husband and I split live between the South Bay and Malibu Canyon. The fire got within a half-mile of our home, but surrounded it 300 degrees. They never let it jump Malibu Canyon Road, which was a huge feat.
It burned from Friday until Wednesday in that area. We saw Redondo Fire and forces from all over the state, plus out of state.
Jen Sullivan Duley
Facebook comment
Family home concerns
Dear ER:
Thank you for your Redondo Beach land use article [“Planning adopts ‘Granny flat’ rules,” ER Nov. 22, 2108].
I do not agree with the proposed 20 percent increase for the Redondo Beach minimum lot size required for an additional family unit in R1 zones. This removes my options for caring for my mother in the near future, to have my children return to Redondo Beach, or to allow me to live there after my retirement.
I would be in favor of another approach that took into account the percentage of buildable lot space available. I hope the Redondo City Council does not adopt this current recommendation.
John van de Wouw
Redondo Beach
Stormy stormwater
Dear ER:
We appreciate the Redondo Beach City Council and Mayor Bill Brand for creating a subcommittee in order to work with the Hermosa Beach City Council, Mayor Jeff Duclos and City Manager Suja Lowenthal to explore alternative sites for the Stormwater Infiltration Project.
We are looking forward to the results of this collaboration.
Maria Haase
Hermosa Beach
Grateful, not hateful
Dear ER:
As I sit here on Thanksgiving, reading online posts and Letters to the Editor, it’s easy to become disheartened at the continuous misinformation, attacks and, at times, outright lies that have been a part of life over the past four years. I recognize this is an unfortunate byproduct of our system/society and that participation in civil service potentially invites vitriol with anything I say, do or not do.
But I remind myself that the vast majority of negativity is simply the voices of individuals who truly believe what they say — even if it is hyperbole or nonfactual. I will not denigrate their opinions and perpetuate a vicious cycle of us vs. them. They are entitled to their feelings and beliefs.
My elected duty is to follow the guidelines set forth in local, state and federal law, listen to all the voices willing to share opinions or concerns, and then make the best decisions possible that will have a net positive effect on our city and/or region moving forward.
So, tonight I choose to be grateful for…
- An amazing wife
- Three wonderful children who have learned the value (and cost) of serving others
- A truly supportive extended family, friends and neighbors
- A safe home, neighborhood and city
- The rights we are afforded – including dissent
- The ability to effectuate change
- The honor and privilege to serve my community
We accomplished an enormous amount in just 3.5 years, and I have more to do and/or finish if the residents allow me the opportunity to serve a final four years including:
- Exploring Municipal Gigabit Broadband for residents and businesses
- Improving local public transit options (ride share for students/seniors; increasing easier, convenient commuter express solutions that truly ease congestion)
- Enhancing my Streets for All initiative to create safer drivers and multimodal options that coexist with current vehicular lanes
- Continuing Artesia/ Aviation corridor reinvestments so North Redondo can have a true “Main Street”
- Improving walkability in our North Redondo neighborhoods
- Working with SCE to remove the 190th Street power lines and continue the greenbelt from Hermosa
- Seeing the General Plan/design guidelines to completion and a public vote
I look forward to working together for a brighter future.
With gratitude,
Christian Horvath
Council Member, District 3
Redondo Beach
Restore civility
Dear ER:
In Redondo Beach, public discourse has become increasingly more uncivil, which poses a serious threat to local government’s ability to function democratically and effectively.
Robust debate and tolerance for disparate views and an individual’s rights of expression are important to our democratic process. An atmosphere of incivility and disrespect at City Council meetings stifles participation and debate and threatens the quality of decision-making and community governance. I would like to see all interaction between City Staff, elected city officials, and members of the public be conducted in a more respectful manner.
I don’t think that threats of violence should be tolerated. I don’t think loud, insulting, demeaning, and offensive public testimony and communications should be acceptable. I would like to see the council speak out against violence, prejudice, and incivility. Public officials should not abuse their power by attacking members of the public.
I feel that the mayor sets the tone in public discourse, and if the tone has become more acrimonious, then he is in a unique position to lead by example and restore civility.
Pat Healy
Redondo Beach
