A well deserved Thank You to all who put their time and effort together to make the 95th Founders Day events such a great success. The music was excellent, the parade and all the related festivities rounded out an auspicious occasion.
We would like to thank the departing City Council members for their efforts put forth. It is challenging to meet goals and trying to maintain focus on all the issues.
You cannot please everyone and I know you did your best to make decisions to benefit all.
I do have one parting comment/opinion: why was the Sunset Beach Annexation not put on a ballot for the residents to vote on?
It all happened so quickly. To my knowledge, no financial information was released for public review. To have a rapid 5-0 vote in favor of not annexing Sunset Beach has raised many eyebrows. What influenced our fine council to make a decision to turn away $500,000 (low estimate) in annual revenue? To turn away the Hotel revenue, not to have Captain Jack’s Restaurant under the city umbrella along with the Sunset Beach Sun Coast beach front properties? I have asked many residents the same question and I get the same answer, “It happened so swiftly, why give up the revenue; we do not understand?” We would have appreciated to have had the opportunity to extend our boundaries to the end of Sunset Beach. My family moved to Seal Beach in 1954. Yes, we have seen numerous changes. Many people considered Seal Beach and Sunset Beach as one extended happy community. It is sad to read stories of the historic fire station loss in our fine paper. Is it too late to try to turn things around and let the people decide on an annexation? I trust the answer will be yes, it’s too late. We have provided Huntington Beach extended beach front and additional revenue that should have been ours.
Some challenges for the new City Council to consider: 1) bring back the sand castle building contest. What an event to provide the business’s with a great boost and provides wonderful entertainment to all who attend. 2) come to a quick resolution of the development to the DWP property on 1st Street so the city can stop the $40,000 in legal fees we (taxpayers) are paying monthly.(ridiculous)
Come to a quick resolution to widening the narrow one-way streets in Old Town. After all, the common area is city property and to set the curbs back one foot on each side over the next 3-5 years seems possible. Approach the Coastal Commission on what kind of parking restrictions can be applied to the narrow one way streets i.e residential only, one hour limit until 6 p.m, parking with permit only etc.
Maybe our new council can consider developing the area where the old Airport Club was and adjoining areas to put in a public nine hole golf course and parks for added revenue? How about the rapidly expanding well received concert in the park? Can the band play at the pier entrance and utilize both parks with speakers? It is certainly a wonderful event and everyone looks forward to attending. Or maybe, occasionally on the Greenbelt?
Looking forward to a prosperous new year in 2011.
Tom Hetherington is a resident of Seal Beach.
