A celebrated centenarian
The article about Mildred Wallerstein in your July 7 issue was great! [“Signal Hill resident celebrates 100 years,” July 7, 2017] I think it was the best story your paper has put out so far.
It was an honor to be a part of the celebration of her 100th birthday, and we are lucky to have Mildred in our community. She brightens up our FOSHL [Friends of Signal Hill Library] meetings and the First Friday Book Club. We all can learn a lot from her, our little gem.
Happy birthday, Mildred!
Lyn Hutchison
Signal Hill
Water under the bridge?
I continue to have tainted water at least twice a year that is unmistakably yellow in appearance. [“Some Signal Hill residents still noticing odor and bad taste in water,” July 7, 2017]
Several months ago I phoned the Department of Water and complained. A rep was sent out to our place and commented there was nothing that could be done to rectify the problem other than back-flush it, but that it was nothing to worry about. He indicated our location mid-point up the hill was causal and most likely we had to live with it. That would explain why our neighbors below are not plagued by the problem.
He left the premises and did exactly that; he back-flushed the system at the juncture of Stanley Avenue and Stanley Place. The yellow in the water disappeared at least for another four to six months.
It is not a comfortable situation, and I would like to bring it to your attention. Surely something is wrong. We should not have to live with that.
Thank you for any assistance to the matter.
Fred Gurzi
Signal Hill
Selection objection
I am discouraged [and] disappointed and feel insulted by the process [Signal Hill] Mayor [Edward] Wilson used for commission appointments, unlike what Ms. Carmen Brooks expressed in her Letter to the Editor, [July7, 2017] which approved [of] the process. The process of only accepting nominations from the mayor disenfranchised the other council members. All the council members were elected by the citizens of Signal Hill and should be heard.
In the past, each council member interviewed each commission candidate and the council member could then nominate a candidate. Three council members had to then approve the candidate. This process occurs in the council chamber in full view of the public. The process utilized by Mayor Wilson allowed only nominations by Mayor Wilson after an interview with only the mayor, which, for this process, occurred at Starbucks.
The process resulted in full control of the candidates by the mayor and the four most qualified, senior commissioners not being nominated by Mayor Wilson.
I know why people like Carmen Brooks support Mayor Wilson’s selection process. But who is to say that she wouldn’t have been appointed based on her own merits. After all, she was appointed to her first commission position four years ago based on the previous process. The process utilized by Mayor Wilson was not more comprehensive and thoughtful based on the questions the mayor privately asked me. His process is not transparent, as none of the other council members were at the Starbucks interview.
Mayor Wilson wants to be an elected mayor. That was the major issue that we discussed. This process left four citizens of Signal Hill out of the selection process.
I believe the process used in the past lends itself to having both experienced and inexperienced people appointed. I further believe that this process versus the mayor’s process is the most democratic and equal for all people.
Gary Dudley
Signal Hill
