Electric charge

Dear Editor:

I like to think of myself as someone who can figure “it” out doing research, reading, asking questions and talking to knowledgeable people.

Confession: It has been frustrating learning about our new power company. What we did figure out is that Clean Power Alliance (CPA) is another government agency started with taxpayer money from LA County. Running a business is not a government strength.

Being more “green” is what we all want but it seems to me that Southern California Edison has been moving in that direction for many years and looking at their website, it plans to continue expanding green energy sources. CPA is a “middle man” and with no other information. That tells me that sooner or later it will cost more.

Edison is still providing the delivery, infrastructure, billing and repairs. Duplicating what SCE already does, we decided to “opt out” of the CPA program. We are somewhat distressed we were “opted in” automatically.

When we received the mailer about the program, I thought, “This will go straight into the recycle bin in most homes and people will have no idea what is going on.”

If we find down the road we made a wrong choice, we can opt back in. But looking at other communities that have been doing this for a number of years we are not holding our breath.

We’re sincerely thankful for electricity in our lives.

Sonja Stump

Bob Fagg

Claremont

Redistricting

Dear Editor:

As an architect we have worked in at least 30 different cities in Southern California. We have observed that some cities are more than dysfunctional with councilpersons not working together, fighting for their districts. This telegraphs down to the neighborhood, with fiefdoms, and even gangs. 

Claremont has been blessed with wacky conservatives and wacky liberals and all of us in between (all right, passionate conservatives and passionate liberals) who, generally, are able to leave their affiliations aside, and work together for the betterment of the schools and the community.

While I do not agree with all decisions made by our current or past city councils, they have been able to represent the community as a whole, and work together to represent all of us.

Our current make up of council elected by the community seems to work well. If it works, don’t fix it. Leave well enough alone.

Paul S. Wheeler

Claremont

Kudos Eureka, Condit student

Dear Editor:

On Tuesday, January 22, I dined at Eureka Burger in the Village. I was surprised and pleased to find that Eureka was hosting a fundraiser for Condit Elementary School. A portion of the bills from that evening went to supporting the school.

It is wonderful that local businesses support local causes, particularly those of our kids. Additionally, the work of one elementary student made the fundraiser an even bigger success.

Henry, a student at Condit, wore the condor mascot uniform and did a wonderful job during the fundraiser. He danced and was very engaging. I think Henry should be very proud of the work he did.

Thank you Eureka and thank you Henry for a wonderful night!

Grace Wilson

Claremont

Thank you, Ms. Stark

Dear Editor:

Priceless Pets, Claremont’s no-kill animal shelter, would like to send out a public thank you to Councilmember Jennifer Stark for participating in National Change a Pets Life Day, which took place January 24.

Ms. Stark sponsored the adoption of Beauty, a sweet three-year-old pit bull/ terrier mix who is patiently and eagerly awaiting finding a forever family.

The adoption fee of $150 covers the sterilization, rabies and vaccination plus the microchip.

Thank you again, Jennifer Stark, for your kindness and generosity in “saving one by one.”

Tandy Robinson

Adoption manager, Priceless Pets

Opting out

Dear Editor:

I am opting out of Clean Power Alliance (CPA) for these reasons.

1. I have memories when government interfered with electrical power production resulting in blackouts in 2000 and 2001.

2. Power companies need all resources available to produce adequate supply of electrical power.

3. We have a supplier of electrical power that is dependable and the community of Claremont should not dictate how Southern California Edison should acquire the product they provide.

4. Our Claremont City Council could not unanimously agree using Clean Power Alliance as our electrical power provider.

If you do not want to be a part of CPA,  you, as a SCE customer, have to take the initiative to call (888) 585-3788 and follow the telephone prompts to opt out.

Have your SCE account number for the operator. This number may be found on your SCE billing or by calling customer service.

Gerald J. Collier

Claremont

Paid parking

Dear Editor:

My wife and I recently attempted to have date night in Claremont. We thought we would park in the Village expansion structure rather than searching for parking.

Only when we reached the top of the filled structure did we realize our error. We passed about 30 vehicles, which had gone to the top of the structure and turned around.

My wife and I are transportation planners, so we know this is an easy problem to fix—and that the community recently rejected this fix by taking the option of Claremont Village parking pricing off the table. Another 200 spaces wouldn’t have solved the problem. A reasonable charge of $1 per hour would.

As we circled down the ramps to leave the lot, we passed another two dozen vehicles on their way up to our same fate. Someone had hacked the spaces available sign to read “420.” Perhaps if the city of Claremont wasn’t losing so much money on free parking, they could have fixed this.

I attended college in Claremont and my parents live here, so we visit frequently. I now live in Santa Monica, where I am chair of the Downtown Santa Monica’s Parking Committee.

Santa Monica now charges $30 per weekend day to park in its downtown structure. They still fill up because, like Claremont, Santa Monica has a downtown that people from all over are willing to drive to.

The city of Santa Monica understands this value and smartly manages their parking. Claremont can be just as prudent in using pricing to manage demand and mitigate needless cruising.

Successful places charge for parking, and the Claremont Village is quite successful on weekend evenings.

Juan Matute

Santa Monica