Letters to the Editor

Vision Teams' visions getting the work done

In the lead article of the Sept. 21 paper, city Managing Director Ben Lee seems to belittle some of the Vision Teams' visions. How dare he tell the Vision Teams what visions they should have?

Why should he criticize a community vision of repaired potholes and bus shelters — work the city should actually be doing anyway?

If the city is not providing reasonable and necessary repairs and amenities, it is a perfectly legitimate vision of the community to desire these improvements.

Richard Stancliff

Meaning changed in letter on election

Regarding my Sept. 25 letter, "Republicans nearly sabotaged primary": It appears that your editing of my letter changed the meaning.

I wrote "the Democratic Leadership Council," assuming everyone was familiar with that 15-year-old national organization of conservative Democrats, once led by Bill Clinton. Apparently the editor wasn't familiar with the group and changed it to read "the Democratic leadership," which implies the leadership of the Hawai'i Democratic Party.

I did not intend to say that Ed Case's campaign was championed by the Hawai'i Democratic Party leadership (I think they were fairly neutral, actually).

Richard Weigel
'Aiea

More school boards won't help education

I urge candidates who want to create more school boards to rethink their stand and heed Superintendent Pat Hamamoto's points on creating more bureaucracy for the schools.

Students and teachers don't need more board members to create more policies and oversee more programs. There are already more than enough state policies and federal and local requirements. More school boards would only mean more money going in the wrong direction.

During my three years at the Department of Education (years I enjoyed very much), I saw firsthand how hardworking administrators in the state and district offices provided services — personnel, business management, curriculum development and more — that would need to be duplicated and paid for if school districts were further split up. There were no slackers at the DOE district and state offices, only professionals who really cared about the students they were serving.

If we really want to help our schools, allocate more money for teacher training, books, equipment and supplies.

Pepi Nieva

Halftime show Saturday made Hawai'i proud

Congratulations to Keith Amamiya and the HHSAA for putting on such a great program and to the Pearl City Marching Band. That halftime show Saturday was better by far than the shows put on at the Aloha and O'ahu bowls.

The supporting cast did a fantastic job getting all the props onto the field and making the show work well. You did Hawai'i proud.

Doris Sullivan
Kailua

Thanks for support; here's some advice

To the 18,000 voters who supported my candidacy for the Board of Education, thank you.

To the teachers who labor quietly, trying to do a difficult job in an impossible bureaucracy, also, thank you.

To parents: If this new Legislature and the returning board preserve the current system, homeschool if you can.

To students: Study Gandhi's principle of satyagraha. Persevere.

Malcolm Kirkpatrick

Kapi'olani Park hit by excessive signage

The "blight of excessive signage" pointed out by Laura Fink is city- and island-wide. Another ugly example is Kapi'olani Park. From the corner of Kalakaua and Monsarrat avenues to the corner of Kalakaua and Diamond Head Road, there are more than 200 signs.

Many of these are redundant, unnecessary or just trash, e.g., the large city public improvement sign near the Aquarium still announcing the park improvement project completed many months ago.

From Diamond Head Road and Kalakaua down Paki Avenue, there are 89 signs, 22 of which are at the corner of Paki and Monsarrat avenues. From this corner to Kalakaua Avenue, there are another 60 signs. The total signage around the park is 356.

No doubt many of these signs are needed. However, the duplications, empty poles and faded old signs are garbage and need to be removed.

This may seem to be a small problem. Nevertheless, if left unattended, signage blight will give Waikiki, Honolulu and O'ahu an even worse ring-around-the-collar than already exists. The solution need not be expensive, just consistent attention to detail.

Who is the responsible city official? Where is the Outdoor Circle?

Willis Dunne