Letters to the Editor 11-14-19

Wild fire extinguished

Dear ER:

The exploration of a Los Angeles County Fire contract is officially over.  So declared current Mayor Pro Tem Richard Montgomery, also a member of a prior Council.  Which begs the question of when that exploration began? Manhattan Beach residents were recently surprised to learn, many of them shocked, that a feasibility study had been completed by LA County Fire. Did the prior Council keep the approval of that study a secret in 2018?  Of course, the fact that this Council was even considering allowing a takeover by LA County spread like wildfire, with many residents angry about such a prospect. 

Here’s how the exploration of a LA County Fire contract should have worked back in 2018.  The prior Council should have convened a Town Hall to inform the community that they were going to consider a feasibility study and explaining their reasons for such a study.  The prior Council should have then placed the feasibility contract on a City Council agenda for approval. That’s open and transparent government. Instead, our community was surprised by a completed feasibility study!  

No surprises, no secrets. Isn’t that what our community expects from our Council? Local control of our Police and Fire Departments is paramount in keeping us safe, the primary duty of a City government. Council finally listened to the residents.

Mark Burton

Manhattan Beach

Not a Gran plan

Dear ER:

Redondo Beach District 4 Councilman John Gran is an honorable person. The tactics used against him by the Redondo Beach Firefighters and the slimy mailers about him are appalling. I get that RBFD wants more money, would like double pensions, and not  lose their seniority if a lateral move to Los Angeles County is made. They can go to LACo, if that’s what they want. But don’t make this about one councilman and his recall.

Erika Snow Robinson

 

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