By Clarifying Ligtelyn Travel story

Imagine my surprise upon returning from Europe to read an article from your Nov. 8 edition about our former office filled with pessimism.

The heading spoke of employees taking a chance and then proceeded to talk about the perils of the industry with the advent of the Internet ready to take over from traditional travel agencies. This story about Ligtelyn Travel Counselors requires clarification.

As was the case for Kahn’s Corner Pharmacy, our office also was a successful family-run operation. Founded in 1953 by my father (Henri Ligtelyn), I joined him in the late 1950s while attending college and my wife became involved in the business in 1962. Our company never was a ticket agency, though airline sales were part of the picture. As the name indicated, it was staffed by counselors, people knowledgeable in serving the community with their travel needs.

Last year, we were approached by a major international firm inquiring whether we’d be interested in selling our business. While it didn’t come to pass, it did accelerate our thinking about building on the property we held in Calistoga. It was only a natural extension to make the office available last April to those employees who’ve been with us for so many years. The four employees who have stepped forward to assume both the risks and rewards of ownership are extremely well-positioned to maintain the success of the past 47 years.

As for us, we’re building in Calistoga and will move in later next year. In the meantime, we have not drifted into retirement but continue in the business of travel from our present residence in San Francisco.

Rasjida and I leave Los Altos with fond memories and give great thanks to all the residents of the area who made this town such a model community. We have been fortunate to have the support of wonderful staff and delightful clients throughout all these years and for this we are most grateful.

Rudy & Rasjida LigtelynSan Francisco

Consider changes downtown

As a fourth generation Los Altan, I have a good idea of the times that Los Altos had a small town atmosphere. Los Altos was once a town where everyone knew one another, where people could meet and enjoy themselves.

Jewelry stores, hair salons and over-priced restaurants do not describe a small town atmosphere. This seems more like a city which has forgotten what it really means “to know your neighbor.” The time for change is now.

I believe that the city council and merchants are indeed considering the hopes and wishes of local residents. I speak for many when I say that we live in a great city, but even the greatest things must evolve in order to stay on top. The city is not made up of senior citizens alone. Many residents of this city are middle-aged couples who are raising children. These residents cannot enjoy downtown as it is. Children and teen-agers do not have places to enjoy themselves. People would greatly appreciate a movie theater.

In order to restore the desired small town atmosphere that was once present in Los Altos, changes must be made.

Jeremy Taylor,10th grade, Los Altos High School

Consider original First-Main objectives

As a member of the Los Altos City Council which purchased the property at First and Main streets, I thought it might be helpful to provide some historical perspective on its acquisition and anticipated uses.

At the time, it seemed to the Council that this property might provide a golden opportunity to address a number of problems which we were then facing. Most important of the problems was that of inadequate parking downtown. It was our belief that a portion of the property could be used, in partnership with downtown property owners or the ultimate developer of the property, for the construction of a partially below-grade parking structure with retail or other uses above ground fronting on First Street. We also hoped that a smaller portion of the property, facing Main Street, could be used to develop a small plaza or entryway to downtown.

Since we had been able to buy this prime property at such an advantageous price, we felt we owed it to the community to use it for the benefit of the community. While we were not averse to earning a decent return on it, that was not our primary objective.

I realize that with the passage of time and the election of new councimembers, both priorities and goals change. Nevertheless, I would hope that serious consideration could be given to those original objectives. Certainly the need for additional parking downtown has not decreased in the intervening years. Therefore, I urge the council to assure that any development of the property at First and Main include a very significant increase in public parking over the spaces that now exist and that the use be one that benefits the community as a whole.

I have heard arguments that some uses of the property could produce significant tax revenues and that those revenues could be dedicated to eventually building a structure somewhere else. I have two concerns about such a plan. First of all, it would require many years of maximum revenue to produce the funds required for a parking structure. During that time, just as we are now seeing, councils change and so do their priorities. The funds, if they were ever finally aggregated, might well be diverted to other needs perceived as more pressing at that future date.

My second concern is the very human desire to move any less glamorous or lucrative use somewhere else. Unfortunately, we can never seem to agree on where “somewhere else” is. I often wonder what it would be like to live in the community named “Somewhere Else.” It would contain affordable multifamily housing, neighborhoods with both one and two story homes, movie theatres and now parking facilities.

I urge the council to consider the original objectives of the purchase when deciding on its ultimate use.

Marge Bruno

Los Altos