Unlike Robin Samuels (“McPherson has proven record,” letters, May 25), I have no struggle about which candidate to support for county supervisor. I’ve educated myself and talked individually with Eric Hammer and Bruce McPherson and am convinced Hammer would represent our district best.
To vilify Hammer for ties with the Valley Women’s Club is the first error of judgment Samuels made. Look at the group’s website for the history of what their organization has contributed to our community.
Samuels’ point about the Boulder Creek Recreation & Park Department is one I also looked into. Hammer has said the fact that the recreation board didn’t connect with neighbors sooner in the process was one of the strongest lessons he’s learned in public service. He learned that while working for our valley’s youth, and proved he learned it by strongly stating during a recent meeting about safe bike routes that it’s critical to connect with neighbors along proposed bike paths early on.
To suggest Hammer alone “publicly declared he is for taking homeowner’s land” for a bike path is misleading. Every candidate said they support the safe bike route, though McPherson made the outsider’s error of referring to Highway 9 as “Highway 1” and Hammer is the only candidate taking the time to attend ongoing working meetings for the bike route project.
Hammer has given time, money and hard effort to multiple causes in our valley. He’s supported teens, young children and our community as a whole through the teen center, Redwood Mountain Faire, Valley Women’s Club, BC Rec Board, Mountain Community Resources and contributions to Boulder Creek’s elementary school gardens. No other candidate can claim his level of local service. For SLV residents, the supervisor is our one dedicated local representative — we need someone committed to our community with the passionate dedication Hammer has demonstrated.
Joni Martin, Felton
The rec board and scopazzi have a known history of keeping their plans "secret" from our community.
Hammer admitting he handled the rec center wrong seems to be just another one of his very many smoke screens.... another secret closed session at the rec board meeting tomorrow night with Scopazzi concerning that property on South St, Boulder St, High 9 and Grove St... what could that be all about? Looks as though Hammer and his rec board groupies and Scopazzi are still at it and the rec board wants to take over that block. Unbelievable!
All you readers out there should demand an answer from the rec board... what are they going to do with that property/ what are they planning, if anything? They will not give you that answer when asked... not at all right. That rec board totally ignores any public input what so ever!. Is that behavior in the best interest of our community? I don't think so....
Why would Boulder Creek Rec want to lease those properties?
It's like trying to build a rec center in a neighborhood without including the neighbors in the discussion.
Oh wait.
Both McPherson and Smallman were opposed to the Zayante Oaks project.
Our community needs low income housing. Selfish NIMBY you are Robin.
Hammer admits the BC Rec deal was handled inappropriately.
Hammer is clear that he supports eminent domain for the bike path.
You mention organizations with, in my opinion, questionable financial histories.
So, Joni, what is your point again? Me thinks need stronger arguments before you attack Ms. Samuel's letter.
Regarding eminent domain for the bike path, are you suggesting that Smallman and McPherson do NOT support eminent domain for the bike path? They publicly, vocally expressed support for the same bike bath Hammer expressed support for.
My main point I made in the letter was that the arguments Ms. Samuels made were flawed and that Hammer has put in an enormous amount of time, hard work and money on behalf of our local community. No other candidate, as I said in my letter, has the same demonstrated history of local service record in the San Lorenzo Valley.
Smallman and McPherson do NOT support eminent domain for the bike path. OBVIOUSLY. Nobody in their right mind would support eminent domain in the neighborhoods mentioned for the described bike path.
If you have no idea what Bill Smallman or Bruce McPherson have done to benefit our community, then I would suggest that perhaps you might be defined as narrow-minded.
BTW, Do you really think that in this day and age of kidnappings and murders of children, that parents are really going to let their kids walk/bike to school? Not if their my kids. Find a way to fund school buses again.
High Density - Low Income Housing:
Eric Hammer fully supported building high density low income housing on the meadow next to Safeway (Zayante Oaks). This was an environmental disaster waiting to happen, and even with over 4000 signatures VWC supported this project. VWC had their own agenda on this, and it was not what was best for the community, or what the community wanted.
Rec Center:
Does a 20,000 SQUARE FOOT facility belong in Boulder Creek? Absolutely NOT!
Mountain CR
I'm no supporter of Mountain Community Resources either. It's not what it appears. Get a hold of their 2008 tax return. They took in around 500K, mostly in grants, and paid out -- oh, guess what? just about $500,000!!!!! It's a scam. It doesn't serve the community, it is a vehicle for people to get paid to do nothing.
I'm getting tired of all the BS, and these Valley organizations pulling the wool over people's eyes, while pretending to serve them.
The guy admitted it could have been handled better. give it a rest.
The low income housing next to Felton faire was a good idea, just not to you. Why are you against it? Do you know how many people are homeless in this valley? Do you care? I guess not. Felton Faire is a focal point for transportation and is an ideal choice for low income housing. Please elaborate on how important this meadow is to the ecosystem or ???
Who says BC doesn't need a new rec center? There are plenty of us who support BCRPD finding a new home and thought a place right on highway 9 was ideal.
You obviously have some trust issue you need to work on.
Lastly, since you are a resident of FELTON you need to leave your politics in your town and let those of us who live way up here in BC alone to do what we feel is best for our community. Its our tax money not yours. Mind your own bee's wax. The felton faire meadow issue involves all of us so don't go trying to pull the same thing for that project, we ALL need to address the homeless issue in the SLV. They are a hidden group- just ask the SO, they know where many of them are...
The "bike path" is an important issue- any of you folks that do not have kids need to seal your pie hole since you have no idea what its like to have to worry about kids going to and from SLV Middle/High schools on 9 and we can't keep counting on busses. The path is a good idea and I support ID for it if that means our kids are safer.