Mailbag: Reserve Watch at wetlands is an encouraging development

It was heartening to read about the success that the Reserve Watch program is achieving (Reserve Watch volunteers provide education at Bolsa Chica Ecological Reserve, Daily Pilot, Jan. 25).

For more than 30 years the differences between the Amigos de Bolsa Chica, Bolsa Chica Conservancy and the Bolsa Chica Land Trust have been highlighted instead of the many contributions each group has made to sustaining the wetlands and educating the public. Hopefully this new template can focus our city council on initiating similar endeavors. Local, face-to-face efforts build community.

Thank you, Reserve Watch.

Jerry Donohue
Huntington Beach

H.B. studies library initiatives

Regarding the Daily Pilot article by Matt Szabo, “Huntington Beach City Council orders studies on library initiatives,” Jan. 23: Residents better get ready for the delays, lies, and intimidation by the City Council members to paint the picture that this effort was run by a bunch of deviants.

I am actually involved in the campaign, run by grassroots folks made up of homeowners, renters, working people and a lot of retirees.

What this team of volunteers have in common is that we care deeply about keeping the library operations public, having trained public employee librarians manage the operations that safeguards the collection against censorship and reflect the needs of the community. The current management of the library allows parents to parent, and the community to express their recommendations for additions or deletions to the collection.

As I write this afternoon, Jan. 24, residents received an “Urgent Notification” from surfcity-hb.org with questions regarding the two library petitions. A few concerning issues about this email are:

1. There is no attribution as to who authored these questions.

2. There will be no verification that a person who replies actually signed the petitions.

3. There is no way to verify that their signature was accepted as far as the certified signatures.

Is it possible that a volunteer signature gatherer misspoke, of course. Was it intentional? No. Was it condoned by the committee? No. Was it systemic to the campaign? No.

Volunteers collected about 17,000 signatures on both petitions from May to November 2024. Signers had every opportunity to read the petitions including a summary statement, go home and read them and come back to the many sites offered throughout the city to sign them. If they signed a petition inadvertently, the campaign instructed them on how to rescind their signature by contacting the H.B. City Clerk’s offices to withdraw their signatures.

Efforts of government overreach by this council into the lives of people who use the library is not something Huntington Beach citizens value.

Pat Goodman
Huntington Beach

The day the article about the library petitions was published, a city email was sent questioning residents about the information they were given when signing the petitions. It seems to me our Council is doing everything in its power to question the legality of the petitions and cast doubt on them.

Banning books? Our council says restricting book access and having a review committee is not banning books. However, if the politically appointed book review committee is formed, they will have the ability to refuse to order books requested by the librarians or from being reordered if damaged or lost, should the committee personally not like the books. They would be banning these books from being in the library. It would not be a parent’s choice. It would be the politically appointed committee’s choice.

Privatization? Councilman Casey McKeon stated the point was moot as Library Systems & Services pulled its bid. If that is the case, why not accept the petition as written? All this petition does is require resident approval before outsourcing library management can happen. Unless council is hoping the petition fails and then there will be nothing to stop LS&S from signing a contract with them.

With the city email questioning the petitions, it is clear the council will not be accepting them as written. In 2023, charges were made by our former mayor that the library children’s department was filled with pornographic and obscene books. Librarians were ordered to move scores of children’s books to the “restricted book section.” As of December 2024, only seven titles remain. They deal with puberty and sex education. One had been in the children’s library for 30 years before it was moved. The other books have all been put back in their rightful sections.

All this fuss. All this drama. All because of seven books our council doesn’t like.

Barbara Richardson
Huntington Beach

The recent actions of our City Council show a blatant disregard for the voices of Huntington Beach residents. Our group worked tirelessly to gather signatures for two library petitions: (a) Stop the outsourcing of the library to a private company; (b) Repeal a Book Banning Committee which allows parents to decide what books their kids can read. The council resorted to baseless accusations of misleading citizens — entirely false claims that are meant to discredit our community’s efforts. The council’s inaction is not only a blatant insult to the efforts of the people but also a direct attack on the democratic process. By denying us our 1st Amendment right to petition the government for a redress of grievances, this council undermines these principles. Adding to the disgrace, a council member admitted to altering her appearance to deceive signature gatherers and “test” their knowledge. This unethical behavior sets a troubling precedent for public officials, who should embody integrity and fairness. Huntington Beach deserves leadership that listens to its residents — not one that relies on deception and obstruction.

Monroe Bunge
Huntington Beach

During the Jan. 21 H.B. City Council meeting, when the library petitions came up for discussion, several council members complained about the process before begrudgingly voting unanimously that the city clerk could certify the signature count.

New council member Butch Twining claimed heartburn because residents who don’t agree with what the council is doing had the nerve to circulate petitions against their actions. He wondered why it is allowed and if they be doing it every time somebody doesn’t like something: for example, if the city wants to outsource tree trimming.

Councilman Casey McKeon reiterated his contention that outsourcing was only exploring ways to save money.

Former Mayor Gracey Van Der Mark launched into her now-familiar rant that librarians are no more qualified than parents to decide what children’s books are in the library and accused the signature-gatherers of lying so people didn’t know what they were signing. She claimed she’d disguised herself by wearing a baseball cap and was told one thing, then when she revealed her identity she was told something different.

Anyone gathering signatures for those petitions would know what Van Der Mark looks and sounds like, with or without a baseball cap, since she’s been all over the news as the face of Huntington Beach for the past year.

Now some residents and even nonresidents have received an emailed survey (“Library petition proponents cry foul after Huntington Beach sends out survey,” Daily Pilot, Jan. 28) asking them to email the city if they feel they were misled into signing the petitions. The three questions seem designed to sow doubt and insinuate nefarious activity. The library review board petition had over 17,000 signatures, with only 13,247 valid signatures required. Surely, thousands of people weren’t duped, and they could have read the actual petition wording if they had doubt. The implied accusation is ridiculous and insulting.

Sure sounds like disinformation and election interference to me.

Michele Burgess
Huntington Beach

NMUSD election shows promise

The end of this year has been exciting. Beyond the contested presidential election, local Newport-Mesa Unified School District elections held significance for a number of reasons.

Ultimately, the incumbents were the best candidates and deserved to win. They had the most experience in educational administration, led the school board through the pandemic, and championed the most sensible, time-tested policies.

Still, the close margins show there can be room to accommodate the platforms of the contenders. As the classical quote goes, “When the war’s over, make alliances.”

Politically, there is room at PTA meetings to accommodate different voices. The system of administrators-teachers-parents works well. Why try to undermine something functional with manufactured political drama?

Economically, there is encouragement for new people to come in and make a difference. Speaking to the very capable Eric Paulsen, the CDM Best Foundation has a division to raise funding for new and existing programs and a different division for alumni engagement. Parental rights candidates could volunteer, help fundraise and use their expertise for the betterment of the community.

Socially, participating more could make our community stronger. Beyond funding, community engagement and direction set Newport-Mesa apart. Legal expertise would be very valuable for rezoning necessary to relieve a growing stubborn homeless problem.

Through their best work, those elected can make their community the best version of themselves. We can all get involved and build a track record for the next election.

Joseph Klunder
Newport Beach