$250,000 Donation for a Downtown Arch – You’ve Got to be Kidding Me?

Dear Editor, Between the lines of the Dispatch story published
March 1 regarding
”
Council OKs Solar Project
”
is the statement
”
(developer) James Suner, who is specifically giving $250,000 for
a downtown welcoming arch.
”
$250,000 Donation for a Downtown Arch – You’ve Got to be Kidding Me?

Dear Editor,

Between the lines of the Dispatch story published March 1 regarding “Council OKs Solar Project” is the statement “(developer) James Suner, who is specifically giving $250,000 for a downtown welcoming arch.”

A welcoming arch here? Does Council really believe we need a downtown welcoming arch to welcome visitors into our dilapidated building, tenant-vacant downtown that continues to lack a visitor-friendly ambiance like the downtowns Los Gatos or even Morgan Hill have?

Mr. Suner might do better to invest the money into some local Gilroy charities that provide aid for low-income families or the homeless.

James Fennell, Gilroy

7 Percent Increase Covered Many More Than Just Principals at GUSD

Dear Editor,

I would like to add some information to your editorial of Tuesday, Feb. 27. The editorial addressed the 7 percent compensation increase granted to the Gilroy Unified School District leadership team, the same compensation increase as all other district employees had received.

I appreciate that you chose to highlight principals as district leaders. However, I’d like to point out that our leadership team is comprised of 52 district leaders. These leaders include supervisors, directors, assistant superintendents, coordinators and administrative assistants. Employees with all of these titles were in attendance at the Feb. 15 board meeting.

We are all part of the leadership team, which is what we choose to call ourselves. The term “unrepresented employees” is a labor term and not our name of choice.

Linda Piceno, assistant superintendent human resources, Gilroy Unified School District

Appreciated Letter Extolling Virtures of Cheerleading Competition

Dear Editor,

It was a delight to read Mr. Scott Kinkel’s response to the article about our cheer squad making it to Nationals. These girls really did work hard, long hours to achieve such a goal. I agree fully that competitive cheerleading is one of the most demanding athletic sports around. I apologize for the quote that it was the only Gilroy team to make it to Nationals. I was referring only within the realm of the National Pop Warner program.

Gilroy Browns Pop Warner Football and Cheer has been in existence for over 20 years and this is the first Gilroy Pop Warner cheer squad to make it to Nationals. It is wonderful to hear that Gilroy High School has had a team make it to a National Competition and a couple of their squads have attended the Pro Bowl which is also a great experience. Donations to the Gilroy Browns are much appreciated and can be sent to P.O. Box 1331, Gilroy, CA 95021.

Inga Alonzo, head coach,

2006 Gilroy Pop Warner PeeWee Cheer