Don’t take LAEF, PTA for granted

Bill Prescott

As the potential school board members jockey and tell us how wonderfully they would manage money to keep this district in tip-top shape, I would like to bring up a point which I have heard none address.

It bothers me tremendously that the Los Altos Educational Foundation (LAEF) and extraordinary financial contributions from the PTA seem now to be taken for granted as part of the standard budget. No mention is made of them being stopgap or temporary solutions. No steps are taken, that I can see, to pressure the state into meeting its obligations to provide at least adequate education funding so that LAEF is not required.

Here’s what’s wrong with LAEF and its ilk. We are fortunate to live in an affluent community, with residents generally above average in education and income, and perhaps, political voice. When we turn our public schools into semiprivate ones, we are not only letting the state off the hook, but we are damaging less affluent districts across the state. We become complacent and insular instead of leading in the charge to fix state education.

Yes, I want a good education for my children, and I want a school board that is skilled at working to get its due from the state, but I also want a board with a conscience and commitment to truly public education.

High schools for south Los Altos missed

Tina Darmohray

The “Lawsuit” article on page 5 (Oct. 5 continued from the front page) states: “Hills high school students attend either Gunn or Los Altos High.” The public high school for students in the southern part of Los Altos Hills is Mountain View.

Please do not join the current Los Altos Hills City Council in marginalizing the households in the southern part of Los Altos Hills as they continue to pursue an elementary school at the former Bullis site.

Make time to vote

Sandra Barnett-Brook

I read and hear from other young parents that downtown Los Altos lacks a town square or center, that there are not enough good restaurants or any anchor stores to shop at. I also know that my age group has enough time to shuttle their children to and from school, soccer, play dates and all kinds of other activities.

My hope is that they will make time on Nov. 8 and vote. It is easy to complain about all the things that need to be improved upon in Los Altos, but far more effective to get out and vote for a change.

Sour grapes over endorsement?

Anna Weldon

After reading Robert Burdick’s letter to the editor in the Oct. 26 issue of the Town Crier it appears that sour grapes are becoming an unfortunate component of our current local city council election.

Burdick accused the Town Crier of cronyism for publicly endorsing city council candidate Randall Hull because he has done contract work for them. I found myself “scratching my head” over this accusation as the Town Crier openly disclosed its working relationship with him at the end of their editorial. Clearly, the Town Crier has had the opportunity to get to know Mr. Hull via this professional relationship and as a result, appears well-qualified to give this endorsement. I see nothing subversive in this.

With the election just days away, Los Altos voters should be proactive in getting to know each of the candidates and there are many opportunities to do so. Check out the candidates’ Web sites, attend a candidate meeting and do some research on each candidate’s professional and/or community accomplishments. Endorsements aside, let each candidate’s proven track record of tangible results and leadership - along with a strong vision for this community - guide your vote.

Councilman supportive of riding program

Jean Mordo

In the article covering the Westwind Barn controversy in the Oct. 26 issue of the Town Crier, your readers might get the idea that my proposal was not supportive of the town-sponsored year-round riding program. It could not be further from the truth. Not only do I strongly support the program, I am in favor of expanding it to adults. In fact my proposal was motivated by the desire to have the town exert greater control over our town-owned property so it is run for the benefit of the whole community rather than as a club for the benefit of a few… mostly nonresidents. Unless we change the governance, the group will continue to act in its own interest.

Additional Westwind oversight no threat

Nancy Couperus

Councilman Jean Mordo’s proposal for a change in governance of Westwind Barn has clearly struck a nerve with many community members who utilize the facility. Otherwise, there could only be support for this proposal that embraces the park and recreation department’s year-round riding program and meets all of the goals of the Supporters of Westwind Community Barn for wider community access!

Why would additional oversight of the barn’s affairs be such a threat? Having spent some 28 years of association with Westwind both as a founding Friends’ board member and founder of the 4-H Riding for the Handicapped, my conclusion is that those who are threatened by a town commission, which would oversee Westwind and other town-owned assets, worry that increased scrutiny of the barn’s management could reveal some unpleasant realities.

Those include control of the Friends’ board by the membership - more than 90 percent of whom are users of the barn. This leads to a self-serving environment rather than running the barn as an asset for all town residents.

Interestingly, the founding documents for Westwind, presented to the 1977 council which gave life to the Friends of Westwind Barn, included in its hierarchy a board of trustees that “fulfills all (the) management responsibilities of landlord including enforcement of lease terms and property management” and is “responsible to council.”

In hindsight some of the problems Westwind is now experiencing and has experienced over the years might never have occurred if the intent of the founders to create the board of trustees had been realized. My hope is that this idea will gain currency and that Councilman Jean Mordo’s proposal - the whole thrust of which reflects the original intent - will receive both public support and council support.