Don’t even think it, Mr. Mayor! Don’t even whisper it. With the U.S. Open a superlative success behind us, we don’t want you to “have your people call my people” about selling off the jewel of the blue-collar golfers, Torrey Pines. It’s bad enough that tee times are scarce for the unwashed masses who sleep in cars to be first in line for the early morning joy of lining tee shots off to the rough. On occasion, you’ve said that you don’t play golf. Even if you took up the game after Torrey was dealt away to special interests and you could get the tee times that we commoners only dream of, golfers of San Diego would yell more than “fore” at you.
Yeah, we’ve heard San Diego has some financial issues that need attention, but any talk of taking away Torrey from the peasants is off the table in spite of the price tag that would make the shortsighted bureaucrats salivate all the way to the back tee and bank. Maybe we could pass the basket and ask for some donations from Tiger Woods, who limped away with $1,350,000 and a really bad knee for his overtime effort. Rocco Mediate could share some of the second-place money, $810,000. Rocco should have also gotten the Mr. Congeniality award after the Monday tiebreaker victory of Tiger’s. Hometown favorite Phil Mickelson, who tied for 18th place along with seven others, only took home $87,230 for his efforts. Better not ask Phil for a donation with that measly amount to take from. (Yet who of us wouldn’t love such a paycheck for playing golf?) And what about Scott “Scrooge” Peters, who had 23 free U.S. Open tickets that went unused when he could have shared them with his constituents, the military or some youngsters?
While we are on a Dear Abby advice binge, Mr. Mayor, how can you and Fred Sainz, chief of staff, keep a straight face with that new math about hiring a consultant, Grant Thornton, while slashing and burning the positions in park and rec, the pools and library? The Virginia-based Grant Thornton Consulting Company is supposed to design the mayor’s city government privatization efforts. However, City Council must approve all contracts greater than $250,000.
The mayor’s office says it didn’t need approval for what is set to be a $650,000 contract. The city’s purchasing director, Lance Wade, in April 2007 approved a one-year contract from March 12, 2007 to March 11, 2008 for $658,515 for Grant Thornton. That money could have gone into keeping pools open or keeping library staff members.
The City Council passed a $3.2 billion budget for fiscal 2009, restoring 62 positions in park and rec and libraries cut by Mayor Sanders in his original budget proposal. The 6-2 vote saw councilmen Madaffer and Faulconer voting against it.
On June 6, Andrea Tevlin, independent budget analyst, suggested all swimming pools stay open. Then she reversed that recommendation. “The proposal brings back service levels in skate parks, swimming pools, park management and libraries to current year levels which are significant service restorations to the city,” Tevlin is quoted by David Washburn in Voice of San Diego.
On June 23, last Monday’s City Council overrode the mayor’s veto 6-2 with councilmen Faulconer and Madaffer in favor of the mayor’s plan.
With the concern that consultants carry more clout than the citizens, we can still approach summer in San Diego 2008 with some hope for families seeking “free” fun. Thanks to hardworking volunteer Andy Freeburn and his committee. University City holds its 20th U.C. Celebration on July 4th. Leave the car at home. Enter a 5K fun run beginning at 8 a.m. at Standley Park. Bike to a pancake breakfast that will begin at 8:30 a.m. and end at 10:30 a.m. Take a free trolley running up and down the length of Governor Drive from noon until 7 p.m. U.C. Celebration will have food, games, booths of all kinds. To cap off the event, Joey and the Stingrays will perform their country/rock music for dancing from 5 until 7 p.m.
On each Sunday evening in July and August, bands will provide free music for listening and dancing at Standley Park. Kicking off the summer series will be The Corvettes on July 13, The Bayou Brothers on July 20, Nitro Express on July 27, Will Faeber Band on Aug. 3, Chet Cannon and the Committee on Aug. 10, Relative Minors and Friends on Aug. 17. Closing out the Sunday Summer Concert Series will be the fabulous Upstream Reggae Band from L.A. on Aug. 24.
For more information, call Standley Rec Center, (858) 552-1652. For tee times at Torrey Pines, call (619) 570-1234.