City should use existing resources
I read about the new plans to develop a plaza outside the Los Altos main library in the July 5 Town Crier (“LA council green-lights library expansion idea”). This got me wondering about the way that many of the resources in Los Altos seem to be “siloed” so that they operate in their own bubbles and are never fully utilized.
For instance, there is a beautiful, large patio between the History House and the Los Altos History Museum. Why would that not be used for the library’s story hour? There is also a large atrium and a plaza at the newly completed community center. Why would that not be used? Then the generous gift from a local family could be used to fund some other improvements at the library or perhaps a literacy program or something else.
It just seems like a redundancy and waste of resources to utilize city funds to essentially duplicate what is available within the same city block and also owned by the city.
On a side note, it always puzzles me that the city doesn’t lease the swimming pool at Los Altos High School for lessons and recreation time in the summer, when school is out. True that this facility is owned by a separate entity, but it’s also a wonderful resource.
Please consider thinking of how to use the spaces that the city has already built before building more.
Nancy Strom
Los Altos
Survey would prevent sampling bias
To the members of the Los Altos City Council:
Thank you for not being swayed by the letter-writing campaign of those who represent a minority of Los Altans in their opposition to reasonable accommodation of other citizens who use our dog parks.
These zealots cite their support from estimated usage and petitions of supporters of their position. Do you think there might be sampling bias in estimates provided by a librarian or in a petition with signatures collected at a library?
If the city council deems it worthwhile to consider survey results, why not mail a survey to every household in Los Altos to obtain a better representation of all Los Altans?
Gary Albright
Los Altos
Include Lincoln Park as dog park option
While the $75,000 study is underway to locate a new permanent dog park across from the Los Altos main library, I strongly recommend that the location in south Lincoln Park, across from the three churches, be included for comparison purposes.
This is particularly critical given that the preliminary cost estimate of over $1 million to locate the dog park across from the library could be substantially less.
Another positive outcome could be added parking for the library patrons and soccer parents.
David M. Smith
Los Altos
Council member should stay home
I don’t think Los Altos City Councilmember Lynette Lee Eng needs to go to Atlanta and bust the city travel budget, especially when she will be termed out! (“Los Altos City Council travel budget policy discussion gets heated,” July 19).
She has caused so much trouble for Los Altos. She votes “no” on everything. What will she learn in Atlanta? Nothing! Just a boondoggle on my money!
Ellen Gonella
Los Altos
Lee Eng’s trip is unjustified expense
Having read the column on the Los Altos City Council and the Jonathan Weinberg letter (“Call for transparency needs clarification,” July 19), I wonder if there should not have been a big “S” in front of the letter. For “Sarcasm.”
Even in our little professional association, only specifically budgeted expenses can be incurred without further “approval.” So, an event is allocated an amount. Councilmember Lynette Lee Eng’s conference trip expense being five days for a three-day event would fall outside the scope of the justified expense. In my corporate world best practice, a personal extension is not permitted – lest one plan “authorized” travel for subsidizing a personal visit.
Azmat Malik
Los Altos
Don’t forget Homestead High
As a high school student who loves sports, I always read the sports section in the Town Crier. But every time, I notice that my high school, Homestead High, is left out of the sports score summaries.
For a while this bugged me because I was not sure why Homestead was not included. I recently realized that the Town Crier may not know that even though the school is in Cupertino, a significant number of the students live in Los Altos.
It would be really cool to see Homestead’s scores in future issues of the Town Crier.
Conner Monsen
Homestead High School Junior
