Don’t Scapegoat Squirrels and “Well Done”

May 18, 2004

Dear Editor,

(The following letter was addressed to Mayor Pro Tem Kevin McKeown regarding the May 17 article “A Gnawing Problem.”)

Thank you for sticking up for another animal species in Santa Monica. You speak for the sentiments of many residents when you voice your opinion in favor of other living beings, whether it be small dogs or squirrels.

It is much too easy for us humans to trod upon and disregard other life forms, and not realize it until it is too late and we are stuck in a world that is sterile concrete and unvaried. Then we can long for the good old days as we stick our few remaining species (if we can find them) in a cage somewhere.

The bluffs of Palisades Park have been crumbling and blowing dust for years. Squirrels must not be the scapegoats for this ongoing problem! It is all too convenient for Joe
Ramirez of Vector Control to talk about the "gradual weakening" of a slow bleeding to death with poisoning of the squirrels. And this is our only option??? (If you don't want surgery, don't go to a surgeon!)

Residents of SM who love their furry little friends would be very upset at their demise. Animal lovers and apartment dwellers who are not permitted pets of their own enjoy their contact with this small remnant of wildlife in our neighborhood. Surely, if it is terraced properly with drip lines and vegetation, the squirrels won't be able to gnaw those cliffs away.

Georja Umano Jones

May 18, 2004

Dear Editor,

We, the following Franklin Elementary School leaders and parents, wish to thank the Santa Monica City Council and City Manager, the Santa Monica-Malibu Unified School District Board and Superintendent, the CEPS organization, and the myriad of other volunteers for their efforts in securing a stable funding base for our schools. (“School Funding Agreement Scales Final Hurdle,” May 12, 2004)

The City of Santa Monica's $6 million annual allocation to our schools will enable our district to weather the current fiscal crisis, and we are appreciative of all the efforts that went into this undertaking. Our thanks to those of you who spearheaded this effort.

Most importantly, we want to thank these individuals for setting aside personal philosophies and tensions in order to create a workable solution that was obviously for the benefit of the children of our school district.

To all who planned, strategized, negotiated, and held endless meetings, we appreciate your efforts in ensuring that we continue to turn out well-educated future citizens of our community and the world. As Benjamin Franklin once said, "Well done is better than well said."

Gratefully,

Leslie Wizan, PTA President
Melissa Dinolfo, Site Governance Co-Chair
Abby Adams, Site Governance
Reiko Alemania, PTA Executive Vice-President
Susan Giesberg, Site Governance
Paula Goldman, Site Governance
Laurie Yehia, Site Governance