Issue date: April 21, 1999
Council told: no ban is no ban
H.L. Mencken wrote in 1916 that "Democracy is the theory that the common people know what they want, and deserve to get it good and hard." Did not the common people of Menlo Park vote in the November 1998 election by a 55 percent majority that they did not want a ban on qas-powered leaf blowers? Should not those election results have delivered a clear message to each member of the Menlo Park City Council?
The electorate deserves to get what it voted for "good and hard," without delay or manipulation of the subject matter by City Council members Steve Schmidt, Paul Collacchi or Mary Jo Borak. How dare these three attempt to hang on to this issue and take a position that flies in the face of the majority opinion cast last November at the polls? Mr. Schmidt, an honor student of the Clinton spin, says "we're not talking about a ban here, we're talking about regulation.
Do we want to go through the expense of another ballot issue to remind Mr. Schmidt that the majority of voters are opposed to a blower ban and do not want government regulation of our gardeners either. It is clear that constituent desire has fallen on the deaf ears of Schmidt, Borak and Collacchi, ears acutely in tune, instead, to their own particular agenda.
It's time for these three to accept the mandates of those citizens who made the effort to vote on this issue. The voters have spoken. Enough is enough. Could we just move on to issues of more prominent concern to members of the community?
Jan Scripps
San Mateo Drive, Menlo Park
A flagrant violation
Less than six months ago a super majority of Menlo Park voters spoke regarding leaf blowers. They overwhelmingly supported the use of gas-powered leaf blowers in the city by defeating an ordinance that banned their use.
Now we learn that at least three City Council members plan to nullify that vote by quietly passing a new ordinance that reestablishes a ban contrary to voters' wishes.
That's a flagrant "In your face" action toward those voted No on E. It's a unilateral appeasement to the benefit of the vociferous minority that lost. Is that how we want our council to operate?
If you feel that this is wrong, you should register your disapproval of the pending action by e-mail to city.council@menlopark.org., or by FAX to 328-7935.
Ken Durey
Sharon Park Drive, Menlo Park
Going against our wishes
I e-mailed the following letter to the Menlo Park City Council.
Ms. Borak, Mr. Collacchi, and Mr. Schmidt: I can't believe that you are disregarding the democratic process that elected you. The community of Menlo Park voted in support of gas-powered leaf blowers.
I thought you were elected to carry out the wishes of the community. Instead you are choosing to modify the measure to fit your own personal agenda. What does that say to those who elected you? I congratulate Councilman Chuck Kinney, who stepped away from his own personal feelings in saying, "the people don't want a ban." And they didn't vote for "more stringent regulation," either, as Councilman Schmidt said.
Judy Leep
San Mateo Drive, Menlo Park
The 'half ban' is misguided
I read about the "half ban" approach that three of the City Council supports in this week's Almanac. I think an alternating week approach is misguided.
I support, and would ask each Council member to support restrictions on noise levels (certification or testing, as needed), and well-enforced restrictions on hours of use Monday through Saturday or even Monday through Friday.
I think that training for gardeners on the use of leaf blowers is a good thing and is certainly well intended. However, it must be an activity that is fully supported by the gardeners themselves to be effective.
This set of restrictions could be supported by both homeowners and gardeners. Please, please reach a reasonable compromise that will allow gardeners to go about their business for the benefit of Menlo Park homeowners. Please don't send us voters back to the polls to overturn another poorly conceived leaf blower regulation.
Carel Veenhuyzen
Menlo Park
Obey what voters said: no ban
Apparently, a majority of our Menlo Park City Council members don't get it. The voters of this town overrode their heavy-handed blower ban, saying clearly that they do not want gas-powered leaf blowers banned, and also saying they did not appreciate the Council's efforts to over-regulate their lives.
The vote said No Ban, not "let's regulate blowers, and that way we can get around banning them." Which way would the Council prefer -- having neighbors working with each other and with the gardeners to minimize noise and disturbance, or neighbors calling the city to turn in their neighbors or their neighbors' gardeners for violating some arcane blower regulation?
Should I call the city to complain if blowers are being used for more than seven minutes on the house next door? What if I suspect a noisy blower? Should I call in the blower cops? Give us all a break. Stop trying to save us from ourselves by imposing rules that are totally unworkable and that neighbor can use against neighbor as a substitute for constructive dialogue.
The voters told the City Council to drop it, and they meant it. Drop it. You are giving small-town government a bad name.
John Scripps
Menlo Park
Majority no longer valid
It appears that the vote of the majority is no longer valid. That is the action of countries run by dictators. Fifty-five percent (a definite majority) of the voters in Menlo Park voted for no ban on gas-powered leaf blowers. In spite of that majority three people on the City Council seem to feel they were over-ridden by the majority. Come hell or high water, they feel they must have it their way, so now they will insist on a 50 percent ban. The gardeners can work every other week.
There are times that I feel we would be better off if we had a 50 percent ban on the City Council. Let them meet just half as many times. They can tend to the important matters and not issue restrictions in the noise ordinance which says "Occasional social gatherings are restricted to the hours from 11 a.m. to 11:30 p.m."
Occasionally I have guests in my home. I will inform the police department so they can check and assure that I sent them home by 11:30 p.m. I next expect to see something on when I can eat or sleep. Big Brother is watching. How silly can we get?
Dan Goodman
Trinity Drive, Menlo Park
School bonds a good buy
Your editorial in the recent Almanac regarding the upcoming Las Lomitas School District bond election on April 27 was excellent. Thank you for providing us information on how our money will be spent by the school district based upon your on-site visits.
I have lived on Orange Avenue for 35 years and have always been impressed with the quality of our schools. Although I do not have children, I believe that community support of schools is critical to each generation of children. As we all know, the first question families who are relocating ask is about the quality of schools in the area.
The educational leadership of our district and the quality of our teaching staff are superb. Let us all support their efforts by providing our children with the facilities they deserve and passing the bond election on April 27.
Joan M. Chambers
Orange Avenue, Menlo Park
© 1999 The Almanac. All Rights Reserved.