The recount is over, and Bonnie McClung is the victor

Thank goodness it is recount is over and the fat lady is singing, now we can get on with the business at hand. We may not like everything we are going to see or hear from this new council, but at least it will be visable at all times with no surprises. Congrats Bonnie and thanks Mike for finally letting it go. The people have spoken.

This entire Coastside owes Mike Ferreira a world of thanks for challenging the highly suspicious Half Moon Bay City Council election results and placing this challenge ON RECORD. The results of this election will FOREVER carry suspicion in everyone’s mind!

The people of both Half Moon Bay and the Mid-Coast will truly be at at deep loss without Mike’s caring, well-studied input into decisions made by the City Council.

Bonnie McClung will NEVER achieve the kind of integrity achieved by Mike Ferreira - she and her cohorts are a total fraud who DO NOT IN ANY WAY WHATSOEVER represent the better interests of the tax-paying, home-owners in Half Moon Bay.

Barb Mauz (nature_watch@hotmail.com

As I pointed out at the last Council meeting, apparently to deaf ears, a razor-thin margin that changes the balance of power on the Council is NOT a “mandate” for a sea change.

While some course adjustment may be justifiable, a U-turn is not.

Those who continue to say “the people have spoken” are reading more into the election outcome than is appropriate. To the people in the Terrace and Kehoe subdivisions who tipped the election because they’re blaming Mike for their problems, well, be careful what you ask for. You have now gotten it. Don’t be surprised if Naomi pushes to increase the number of houses in Pacific Ridge. And I hope everybody heard both Naomi and Marina state that Foothill Blvd is even less of a possibility now than it ever was. (Interesting that they didn’t say that BEFORE the election!) Foothill Blvd could never have been a solution to the Terrace subdivision residents’ concerns regarding Pacific Ridge because Foothill Blvd could never have been built, at least not after the Coastal Act was passed. Foothill has always been a grand delusion of the developers. The real issue as I’ve stated before is that the Pacific Ridge subdivision never should have been approved at all, and that was done on Naomi’s watch.

I just hope that the damage two years from now isn’t so bad that it can’t be undone when the scale tips back the other way. You don’t suppose that’s why the new majority is rushing so fast into gutting the Planning Commission? They’ve got to get as much done in 2 years as they possibly can…

I don’t know who James Reed is, but my sense is that he has not lived in HMB or the Coastside for very long.

The city councils of the 70s and 80s were notorious for back room dealings, developer sellouts, and rude treatment of the public, and now that their representatives are back on the council, I suspect the wise old saw about leopards not changing their spots will be ground truthed once more. Hey, I’m perfectly willing to be proven wrong. Prove me wrong, please.

Deborah Ruddock Former HMB Mayor

Cypress Cove swung the election. Mike, Tony and Jim tried to shove a park down our throats and we spit it back up. I have only been on the coast ten years, but this is no way to do business anywhere. I personally have faith in the new council, and I believe, a voice. Whatever happens, we have gotten rid of the rude and arrogant part of the council that very seldom seemed to want to listen to anyone else but themselves. Now we know what we will get: smart growth.

“Smart growth” is an oxymoron.

Just out of curiosity, is there any location within the city limits of Half Moon Bay where a park could be located without some neighbors objecting? I’m not saying that the location near Cypress Cove is good or bad, but I’d really like to know where such a park should go in HMB.

Of course, if there were more and sufficient parks, no one park location would be such an issue. How much park land did the City acquire during Naomi’s previous 16 years on the Council? For those of you who moved here after Naomi started on the Council 20 years ago, I believe the answer is “not a square inch.” She was too busy approving new housing subdivisions.

Comment 7 by Barry Parr  on  Dec 27  at  3:42pm  •  All my comments • 

“Smart growth” is not necessarily self-contradictory, although the term is often used to disguise plain old unplanned growth. I think the previous city council majority did a pretty good job of managing HMB’s growth, although I didn’t agree with all their decisions.

Jim: What in Bonnie’s and Naomi’s record or campaign promises leads you to believe that we’re going to get “smart growth” from the current city council? What makes you think that Cypress Cove is going to get more input in the development of the park next door?

Some of what I am going on is faith alone. I believe that Bonnie and Naomi have other projects in mind that will benefit the coast. My goal is to keep this “mini” sport’s complex from being build where planned. I hope there are other things the city council can find to use the money for.

I worked with Bonnie for 5 years and have experienced her fairness and good judgement. I don’t know Naomi that well, but I do believe people can change. She won so overwhelmingly, if she is what the people want, then so be it. Fate and Fortune will now take their course.

I’d like to address issue of smart growth.

The new pro-development council majority has absolutely no record that would provide supporing evidence for Jim Reed’s claim that they will be for smart growth.

Council member Patridge in the past approved new subdivisions without benefit of environmental impact reports and without requiring that the developer provide the kind of public amenities that other communities have benefitted for years.

Coiuncil member Patridge was in a position for more than a dozen years on the Parks and Rec Commission and for 16 years on the City Council without exercising effective leadership as far as new parks were concerned. The vast majority of City owned park land was acquired and developed under the leadership of managed growth city councils in the mid- to late 90s and the most recent city council.

Council member Patridge also approved the existing sorry LCP which is nothing more than a blank slate for developers bearing their own profit maximizing “plans”.

It’s always appears greener on the other side, Mr. Reed. The record does not bear out your optimism of the new city council. Listen to what they say, but watch what they do. Actions speak louder than words.

One last word from me about the election and things to come with the new city council. I was told over and over during the big park debates that if we Cypress Cove residents did not like having a park next to us we should sell our homes and move.

Well, here is my advice for those who do not like the new city council and the new direction we are heading. If you do not like what is about to happen and who is running the city, sell your home and move. Over and out.

Wow, now that’s really constructive. That was the sentiment the voters overthrew beginning with the election of a residentialist canddidate in 1989. Too bad you didn’t move here in the 70s; you’d be mainstream rather than fringe. You might even have been appointed to the beet root commission. What didn’t you like about Tracy?

Deborah Ruddocik