Open letter to the Encinitas City Council
First let me congratulate you all on living through the election. It was truly a grueling time for all of us. Now that it is over here are a few things that I feel are very important.
The main thing that brought down previous council members was arrogance. Just because we elected you does not mean you are the greatest thing since sliced bread. This isn’t high school and you didn’t win a popularity contest. Think of it as receiving a probationary period after the job interview. We hired you to do important business for us, please never forget that.
Every thing you do or say reflects not only on you, but also upon the entire City of Encinitas. Please be thoughtful and aware.
You have only one obligation and that is to the citizens of Encinitas. I don’t care who helped you with your campaign, you owe them no allegiance, none. There is no room in government for hidden agendas or unholy alliances. We simply will no longer tolerate it. Take no gifts, loans or favors from anyone, ever.
Heretofore there has been little openness in our city government. This is a huge issue that needs to be addressed immediately. California has a law addressing this issue, called the Brown Act. This law should not be considered a stumbling block for city councils. If anything, it should be viewed as a starting point for open government. Please no more closed-door sessions, meeting agenda manipulation or any of the myriad of machinations employed by previous city councils. We are extremely tired of it.
Above all be fair and impartial, open your mind, listen, seek out our opinions and encourage citizen participation in all facets of governance.
Do these things and we will continue to enjoy life in this wonderful town we all love
Good Luck to you all,
Dave Fletcher,
Cardiff-by-the-Sea
Secession from the US?
We Blue States have decided to let you Red States secede.
But remember: We currently have 85 percent of America’s venture capital and get 67 percent of tax revenues. We’ll be pro-choice and anti-war; your women can be baby machines while you send your sons into foreign wars. We have 80 percent of the potable fresh water and 90 percent of the country’s fresh fruits and vegetables. We get Harvard, Yale, Stanford, MIT, CalTech and the entire UC system; you get Ole Miss and U of Georgia. You also get 88 percent of obese Americans and their health costs as well as Southern Baptists, Televangelists and Rush Limbaugh. We’ll get Hollywood, Yosemite and all the funny political comedians. Is it a deal?
Milton Saier,
Encinitas
An open letter from Nerice Kaufman regarding Hospice audit
As the Executive Director of Carlsbad-based Hospice of the North Coast and a longtime hospice professional in the San Diego area, I follow with interest the news of a U.S. Medicare audit of San Diego Hospice, one of the region’s pioneering hospices.
Both private and nonprofit hospices operate under stringent regulations, which can change in keeping with the current healthcare climate. In San Diego, the hospice field comprises a compact community of professionals, all of whom, I believe, operate at a high level of service and integrity.
In light of the San Diego Hospice audit, which may take some time to complete, it is possible that other area hospices, including ours, will be called on to support hospice patients and their families. We at Hospice of the North Coast stand ready to be of support in any way we can.
Since our inception in 1980, Hospice of the North Coast has worked side by side with San Diego Hospice to accomplish our mutual goal of ensuring a peaceful life-through-death experience for people with a terminal illness while providing support throughout the process for their loved ones. We are confident that they, and we, will continue to serve the community for many years to come.
All of us in the hospice field appreciate San Diego Hospice’s iconic status in the region. We have benefited from their leadership in the hospice community.
Nerice L. Kaufman M.Div., MA, LMFT, CHA
Executive Director, Hospice of the North Coast
