MIKE SCHEAFER AND THE SENIOR CENTER
Failed City Council candidate Mike Scheafer had a long letter in the Katrina Foley Almost Daily Daily Pilot on Saturday in which Scheafer wrote this:
"One local blogger, who fancies himself to be the 'guardian' of everything related to the city, constantly criticizes the operations of our board. He is simply one of those who can’t seem to get their facts straight."
Our guess is that Scheafer was referring to the CM PRESS. If so, Scheafer should have stated which facts he thinks we got wrong. But, he didn't do that. We like facts and we like to correct them if we get them wrong.
And, in spite of what Scheafer wrote, we haven't been very critical of the board at all.
We've mostly just written that in our opinion the board should be open, it should cooperate with the City Council and should welcome Mayor Pro Tem Leece and some others as voting members of the board.
The CM PRESS is appreciative of any of our citizens--such as those on the Costa Mesa Senior Corporation board, including Mr. Scheafer--who volunteer to help our senior citizens.
However, we are surprised by some of the intemperate remarks we've seen in the KFADDP aimed at some senior citizens who have some complaints and about Mayor Pro Tem Leece.
Our position is that since the Costa Mesa Senior Corporation is getting almost free rent and maintenance on the city owned Senior Center building at 695 W. 19th Street (they pay a buck a year on the building), and since the City gave them $ 240,000 in the fiscal year starting July 1, 2008 and is scheduled to give them $ 245,000 for the fiscal year starting July 1, 2009, that the citizens of Costa Mesa have a right to know that our senior citizens are getting the best service possible and that we're getting the best use of our building and money.
Now about facts. Before we began writing about the Senior Center, we did our homework. Among other things, we obtained copies of the tax forms filed by the Costa Mesa Senior Corporation and a copy of the Senior Center Agreement. We also went to City Hall and reviewed the public documents on the Center that the City has in its possession. We've also visited the Senior Center and have reviewed their website.
Incidentally, the Senior Center website is not up to date. Maybe Mr. Sheafer can ask someone to put up the names of the current board members.
In addition, and as we've reported before, when we were on the 3R Committee we strongly advocated for the Senior Center getting more money from HUD CDBG funds than the Center was even asking for.
Following Scheafer's letter in the KFADDP is one from a senior citizen who does criticize the Center, and then following that is an anonymous comment in the KFADDP's blog from someone who insults the senior citizen.
Here's the LINK to the KFADDP letters and comments about this.
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Those are our opinions. Thanks
