3 CHEERS: To John Laird, his colleagues in the Assembly, all San
Martin residents who worked to pass AB 1602 and especially to
Sylvia Hamilton.
The following organizations and individuals deserve either CHEERS or JEERS this week:
CHEERS: To Gilroy’s two softball teams that qualified for the World Series. The many long practices paid off for the Gilroy Little League All-Stars and the 16U Hotshot traveling team. The All-Stars, making their second straight appearance, finished fifth in the Softball World Series in Oregon, just missing a trip to the televised semifinals. The Hotshots finished third in the 2006 Western NSA World Series held in Seattle. The city will recognize both teams today with a parade that begins at 10am at Miller Park and ends at Stubby’s Sports Bar & Grill, 707 First St.
Jeers: To the city for the handling of the downtown construction project. For weeks, city officials have rebuffed calls by struggling downtown merchants to pin down new end dates for the delayed project. Finally, Wednesday, city officials said the roadwork portion of the project will be finished by Friday, Oct. 13. The sidewalks by Nov. 22, just in time for the beginning of the holiday shopping season. Let’s hope Community Development Director Wendie Rooney’s caveat does not come to pass. “There could be more delays, but we’re going to do everything we can to keep the project moving.” That should have been done from the beginning.
Cheers: To the school district’s sophomores who took the California High School Exit Exam for the first time and passed. Of the 1,229 tested in math, 688, or 56 percent passed, and of the 1,1130 tested in English, 724, or 64 percent passed. Hopefully, seeing some of their elderly colleagues struggle to pass as seniors, they’ve dedicated themselves to making their education a priority.
Jeers: To everyone on the city’s payroll – and the city council members and the city attorney – responsible for the firing of Rex E. Wyatt for sexual harassment. A judge reversed the ruling, and ordered he be reinstated, pay him for lost compensation and to purge his personnel file of the sexual harassment charges that led to his 2003 firing. Thank goodness for judicial review. When the city sets itself up as judge and jury in such cases, it also sets itself up for a major botch job.
Cheers: To John Laird, his colleagues in the State Assembly, all San Martin residents who worked to pass AB 1602, and especially Sylvia Hamilton, who has worked tirelessly for the benefit of San Martin and its residents. The bill, which will make it easier for the town to pursue the goal of incorporating, was passed 76-0 in the Assembly. The issue of incorporation could be before the voters as early as Nov. 2007. And, while we’re on the subject, it’s events such as last weekend’s Happy Days Car Show that help raise money for the incorporation and display San Martin’s community spirit.
