MAILBAG - May 19, 2006

Hotels should post tide pool rules

In your editorial regarding tide pools, you find it “Amazing ? adults who presumably can read the large posted signs at the staircases ? “ would be the people violating our tide pools. That these people “with young children in tow, ? catching small fish ? taken back to a hotel room ? “.

But those people staying in the oceanside hotels are not walking past those “large posted signs.” They should be, but there is no requirement for the posting of such signs by the hotels. Maybe, just maybe, there should be.

M. GUY ROSS

Laguna Beach

Dialogue needed on lifeguard issues

There exists in this city an amazingly beautiful coastline that has become one of the most popular destination spots in the world. After reading the article recently concerning the need for additional full-time lifeguards as expressed by various members of the Laguna Beach Lifeguard Assn., I was struck by the difference of perception between those professionals who understand the shortcomings of “temps” and that of our city manager, Ken Frank, who states; “ ? there’s no evidence of a safety hazard.”

If there is a safety hazard by expecting temporary lifeguards to compensate for the lack of full-time lifeguards and who are not required to have the depth of training of full-time lifeguards , then yes, I’m very concerned, and everyone who enjoys the beach with their friends and children need to be also.

Iwould like a public discussion to give both the lifeguard association time to explain their side and to hear our city manager defend his position.

PAT SPARKUHL

Laguna Beach

City must budget for full-time lifeguards

The following is an open letter to the Laguna Beach City Council.

As one who walks the beach and is a year-round ocean swimmer , I have the opportunity to observe the duties and responsibilities of the marine safety personnel, both full-time and part-time. The conclusion that is unavoidable is the need for additional full-time marine safety officers. This would avoid the current procedure of using part-time marine safety personnel in full-time positions with the expectation that these part-time personnel will perform full-time duties without adequate training.

Consider these findings: Seasonal part-time employees are not sufficiently trained to perform the duties of full-time employees. Rookie training is not sufficient to enable the employee to perform supervisory duties. Requirements of professional standards and mandated training have increased and include new compliance issues. Seasonal part-time employees are not trained to the same emergency medical technician levels as full-time employees.

When comparedwith other beach cities, Laguna Beach is far behind. For example, other beach cities have a one-to-six full time- to- part-time employee ratio, whereas Laguna is one to 20. Other cities use a 1,040 hour-per-year work limit for part-time employees, whereas Laguna has no limit.

The qualified seasonal part-time employees find other employment at full-time wage and benefit levels, which results in recruitment challenges and an increase in turnover.

You must ask yourselves the question: Do seasonal part-time marine safety personnel have the same level of training as full-time marine safety officers? In comparing the Laguna Beach marine safety budget to other beach cities, you will find other cities have allocated 65% to full-time and 35% to part-time, whereas Laguna Beach has 30% allocated to full-time and 70% to part-time.

The 2006-2007 budget must include an increase of approximately $137,000, with a request to increase the number of full-time marine protection officers by four, or at least three, additional full-time officers, which would increase the budget by $102,852. This additional cost is minuscule compared with the cost of a negligence lawsuit.

Your assistance in including this item in the 2006-07 budget would be appreciated, as the need is great.

TOM GIRVIN

Laguna Beach

‘No’ to school board appointment

I agree with Bill Steel that the Laguna Beach School Board should not appoint a replacement to fill the vacancy on the board. The members should wait until November to let the voters decide who should fill the seat. As Steel pointed out, they don’t need someone to break a tie vote, since they have only had one vote that wasn’t unanimous since 2002.

The appointment could also be being terminated by the Orange County Superintendent of Schools under section 5091, which allows the voters to have the final say on any board appointment. This would be especially divisive since so many students, faculty and parents are still upset about losing Nancy Blade as principal of the high school.

We are only talking about eight school board meetings between now and November. Our founding fathers patiently debated from May 1787 until late that fall before they could agree upon a constitution. Can’t we wait that long to let the voters pick our new school board member?

JIM SADLER

Laguna Beach

Principal Blade not replaceable

The Coastline Pilot introduced Donald Austin as the man appointed by the school board to “replace Nancy Blade.”

I don’t know Austin, but I doubt he’ll ever be able to replace Blade. In June, as he begins to dig into this position, the newly appointed principal will be reeling as he sees the myriad things Blade routinely gave of herself to make life better for her students and their families. I don’t think he has any idea of the job facing him trying to “replace” that tiny, soft-spoken woman.

When I meet Austin, I will tell him if things get tough for him, no matter the success of the high school, it will not be good enough to satisfy school board member El Hathaway, even though Hathaway will acknowledge Austin went out of his way for the Hathaway family.

I will tell him that no matter how far he extends himself to support individuals and teams at school, no matter the home visits he may make, the prom dresses he will buy, the brownies he’ll bake and take to the homes of troubled families, the sacrifices he will ask his own family to make for the good of Laguna Beach High School students, Jan Vickers will say, “That’s just part of his job.”

When the school’s scores rise, the high school receives national recognition, and Austin has the respect and admiration of nearly every student and the support of 80% of his staff, Bob Whalen will tell him, “The high school needs leadership.”

And when times get hard, as they inevitably will, member Betsy Jenkins will do absolutely nothing to stand up for Austin. And through all this, the superintendent will sabotage him every step of the way.

The only positive I can see in Austin’s future at Laguna Beach High School is that there are many of us who are going to do everything we can to give him a new school board to work with.

MARJORIE JACOBS HALL

Laguna Beach