Matt Denison, San Clemente
In response to City Councilmember Lori Donchak’s column, “Shoring Up Marine Safety Headquarters” in the June 7 edition of the San Clemente Times, buildings do not save lives; lifeguards save lives. Where the headquarters reside should not make a difference to performance of duty. The allocation of $1.2 million into a building that is there for changing clothes, storage of equipment and paperwork is taking taxpayer funds and getting nothing in return.
What opinions were investigated? With social media so prevalent, schedules, reports and other paperwork can be accomplished online. A storage facility for equipment and changing facilities could be a modular unit that is placed where the lifeguard headquarters is now and moved during heavy storm times. This would be practical and cost-effective. We have a vacated City Hall that could be used for some duties performed at the headquarters.
Our lifeguards may be more pleased with a raise than a $1.2 million headquarters that is only used by the guards alone. The Public Works director gives the improvements a 10-year minimum on life expectancy. Is this a good use of public funds? The article would have given the public an informed view, if Donchak had not stated the obvious of what a lifeguard does and more of what opinions were reviewed and discarded for the use and necessity of a headquarters building built on sand.
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