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Published on 09/15/1999 All articles from this issue

Letters to the Editor

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Keep swimming in our neighborhood

The following is an open letter that was addressed to the Los Altos Parks and Recreation Commission.

This letter is in response to the upcoming discussion and decision on the McKenzie Park pool site for the Los Altos Community Aquatic Center.

My brother and I grew up in Los Altos, attending Bullis, Egan, and Los Altos High schools. We began swimming at Covington with the Los Altos Aquatic Club when I was 8 and my brother was 5 year old. This pool has been a significant part of our lives ever since.

In addition to swimming there with a competitive team in our youth, we used the pool during the summers for recreational swimming and watched many of our friends learn to swim there through the various community programs.

After high school and through many years, we have swum at Covington with Los Altos Masters Swimming. In the last year, our father has joined us at Los Altos Masters Swimming under the recommendation of a physical therapist.

The community's local taxpayers through public funds and donations built the Covington pool, and it was money well spent. It is an integral part of Los Altos and our community.

Considering that we have the resources and the demand, the approval for the McKenzie Park pool should he an easy decision for your team.

We need a community pool for teaching swimming and aquatic safety, providing a place for recreational swimming, and allowing our competitive teams a local place to train.

We believe that it is very important to approve the McKenzie Park pool site and keep our community swimming in our neighborhood. Please do the right thing.

Leslie WarrenBill WarrenGretchen WarrenMark WarrenTracy WarrenLos Altos

Skate park was successful

Kudos to the Los Altos Parks and Recreation Department for another successful summertime at Hillview Skate Park.

As a mother, I find the location of this facility - close to the police station, with pop machine and restrooms available, is key.

The quiet and friendly supervision by the young adults employed, particularly Shawn, have provided consistent supervision while keeping the environment clean and safe. They deserve a round of applause as well.

My son and his friends are sorry to see this fine community project close this past Tuesday and want to support any future efforts to erect it once again.

Jill Grunewald WyattLos Altos

No conspiracies at closed session

It appears from reports by the Town Crier that at the July 27 El Camino Hospital District board meeting, that a small group of physicians were convinced of a conspiracy in the closed session of the meeting. Unfortunately, these vocal individuals were misinformed about the reasons for the closed session.

In actuality, discussion was held to consider the reduction and addition of services to meet the demands of a competitive market. The only people in attendance at the meeting were board members, the CEO, legal counsel and staff who had been asked to participate in presentations to the board on issues.

I made the attempt, before the closed session, to tell the local newspaper reporter and the physicians present that no actions were anticipated; therefore, there probably would be no report.

Unfortunately, the reporter printed a story that repeated remarks by this group insinuating that the closed session was sinister in nature, when, in fact, it had been completely necessary and benign.

During the closed session, one of the physicians even interrupted the meeting and demanded that the board break out of the closed session and give a report to the group about what was being discussed. When the board ignored the outburst, it was taken to task in open session at great length by the physicians demanding more information than the law requires.

It appears that our vocal group chooses to disregard all other important economic, federal, state and district requirements in managing a hospital. Only the immediate concerns of these individuals were considered important.

One thing this behavior accomplishes, I believe, is to cast unfair aspersions on the integrity of our district board, which has willingly given countless uncompensated hours to the successful recovery of the hospital. Sadly, it seems this group of physicians refuses to understand the responsibilities of a district board to its larger constituency in the hospital district of 255,000 people. Vocal minorities are, more often than not, wrong.

Richard M. WarrenCEO & AdministratorEl Camino Hospital

Parks reflect essence of Los Altos village

We would like this opportunity to tell you of our continued enjoyment all summer of lovely Shoup Park and the adjoining Redwood Grove.

These areas are always filled with happy families and seem to reflect the essence of our lovely village.

Special thanks and applause to the Olde Towne Band whose concerts always delight us.

If there is any way in which we can support their performances in the future, we would be most happy to contribute.

We look forward to the opening of the new park area on San Antonio Road with anticipation and hope some special events will take place there as well during the coming year.

Mr. and Mrs. Donald Burch

Los Altos