Mailbag: Wetlands work still to be done

Amazingly and, as most would have thought, impossibly, Gordon Smith of the Huntington Beach Wetlands Conservancy is about to run the table with the conservancy’s likely addition of the Newland Marsh to the Brookhurst, Magnolia and Talbert wetlands, which previously were acquired by the conservancy (“Conservancy goes for that last piece,” June 2). Looking back, much of this ecologically essential land once was slated for highway and/or residential uses.

However, is there more to be done? The 38-acre Ascon toxic dump site, now the subject of heroic but still limited remediation, eventually could be added to the conservancy’s charge. Further, some part of the 41-acre tank farm on Magnolia Street could be included in the lands held in trust by the conservancy. Last, but not least, the site of the AES power plant is a necessary future addition to the conservancy’s holdings.

Such acquisitions appear remote and expensive, but perhaps no more so than when Smith and the conservancy began their quest many years ago.

Paul Cross

Huntington Beach

*

Trustee’s conduct not professional

I was in attendance at the Ocean View School District Board of Education meeting June 7 and was appalled by the behavior of Trustee John Briscoe on two accounts.

First, his conduct was absolutely deplorable and most unbecoming of an elected official serving on a school board. When serving in a position such as this, a board member should exemplify and model the type of behavior that the community would expect from any student sitting in any classroom in our district.

However, Briscoe’s conduct was far from that. His rudeness, lack of courtesy and respect to the board president was shameful. If a student behaved in such a manner, he or she would have been referred for disciplinary action.

Second, his reference to the families in the Oak View school community was very questionable when he stated that he wondered how students, who were crammed into multi-family apartments, could study when Telemundo was probably “on 24/7.” His lack of understanding and compassion was disturbing.

Briscoe’s behavior was extremely unprofessional and disappointing.

Mary Thompson

Huntington Beach