CRA News March 2004

Selected articles from the newsletter of the Carmel Residents Association

Citizen of the Year Merv Sutton and his wife Nancie hold the award presented to Merv by the Carmel Residents Association -- a lovely watercolor of Carmel lagoon painted by Carmel Art Association artist Roianne Hart. See story below.

Carmel's Literary Pioneers
More Sorrow than Success

A follow-up: the latest developments on the Sunset controversy

A special meeting of the City Council to go over the contract with Sunset Cultural Center (SCC) was planned for Wednesday, Feb. 25. The meeting was cancelled because the contract was not finished and will probably be rescheduled in mid March. Although residents were assured at the town meeting that the contract would be available 10 days in advance of the next meeting, there would have been only 24-hours notice for the meeting on the 25th. We hope that the next meeting will be scheduled in time to provide the promised ten days to study the contract.

A Feb. 11 letter to the mayor and council, signed by Cultural Commission chairperson Lucia Dahlstrand, asked that the council immediately discuss hiring a marketing director. The letter said in part, "At the request of the commission, I am reiterating our recommendation [of April 2003] that you contract with a marketing director and/or agency on an interim basis without delay. We cannot afford to wait to resolve the issue of who will manage Sunset. If we don't take steps now, we will have a second modest year in a facility which deserves more than that! ... The sooner that the marketing issue is resolved the better for all of us--the city and its citizens. We strongly recommend that this matter be put on the March 2 City Council agenda."

The request was ignored by the mayor--not placed on the March 2 council agenda for public discussion. Dahlstrand told the council she was very disappointed and feared the Center would have another year with no one booking performances.

President's Message
How do we know what happens in Carmel?

by Larry Rodocker

How does a resident get to know and understand Carmel-by-the-Sea? One way is to walk around the city becoming familiar with its physical characteristics. Other ways are to visit local businesses, meet and talk with other residents and join social and service organizations.

But how does one insure that the Carmel "quality of life" is being perpetuated? We all know the beauty of the area in which we live and what opportunities it has to offer, but how do we know how our village is changed "internally" (thus affecting the externals) by the city council with its decisions and ordinances? These decisions and ordinances may be for the betterment of or detriment to Carmel. Unfortunately, there are not enough eyes seeing and ears hearing these decisions as they become operational. Sometimes a highly controversial issue comes up which presses everybody's "hot button," causing the community to rise to the occasion, learn the facts and debate the pros and cons of the issue. Good for us. However, for every "hot button" issue, there are perhaps one hundred issues on which decisions are rendered and ordinances created by City Council on which the public is uninformed and/or unaware. Some City Council decisions and ordinances immediately impact Carmel, while others have future, long-range consequences. Regardless, once this happens, it does no good after the fact to be surprised and complain about the outcome. City Council has done its job, right or wrong. The time to make your feelings known is at the time issues are being debated at the monthly City Council meeting. Listen to the issues being defined, determine the facts and let the council know your feelings.

By attending and participating in City Council meetings, we shall be an informed public. We can have an impact on the decisions made by the City Council and we will perpetuate the Carmel "quality of life."

Merv Sutton named
Carmel Citizen of the Year

From left, Don Fuselier, master of ceremonies of the Citizen of the Year Celebration, had a chance to enjoy himself with Barbara Bolgard, Roger Bolgard and Dennis Sharp before taking center stage to make the awaited announcement.

Native Carmelite and local business owner Merv Sutton was honored at the Carmel Residents Association's 16th annual Citizen of the Year Celebration held Sunday, Feb. 22, in Carpenter Hall at Sunset Center. It was the first time the award went to a local business owner.

According to Master of Ceremonies and former Carmel Chief of Police Don Fuselier, "If you could choose a person who truly represents the spirit of Carmel, it would have to be Merv Sutton. He cares deeply about this community, is totally committed to serving it in any way he can and has clearly through his efforts made Carmel a better place to live." Merv is thought of as a fair-minded person who has the ability to bridge the differing opinions which often arise in Carmel.

Sutton, 65, was born and raised in Carmel, attended Sunset Grammar School, Carmel High School and Monterey Peninsula College, where he received a degree in business administration. He and his wife, the former Nancie Nielsen, also a Carmel native, have three children. Forty-five years ago Merv went to work for Nancie's father at Nielsen Brothers Market. Eventually purchasing the business, he remains its owner.

As well as being an outstanding community leader, Merv Sutton rarely refuses anybody when asked for help. This includes many donations over the years from his market. The Carmel Residents Association is very appreciative of the wine which Merv makes available at cost for special events.

Merv Sutton's longtime involvement in the Carmel Youth Center, including 35 years on its board and three terms as president, began when he used the facility as a youngster. His creative fund-raising efforts have been instrumental in the survival of the organization.

Sutton's list of achievements is long. Here are some:

• Former president of the Carmel Business Association o Member of Carmel Rotary Club for 39 years; president in 1963
• Charter member of the Carmel Recreation Commission; two terms as chair
• Current chair and six-year member of Carmel Celebrates Community (organizes annual Halloween/birthday barbecue)
• Board member of AT&T Youth Fund, which grants money from the golf tournament to youth organizations
• Current president and ten-year member of Yes for Carmel

Safety from storms
by Carmel Fire Department Captain Mitch Kastros

The month of February proved to be a wet one with just under five inches of rain. Three of those inches came within a span of four days toward the end of the month, making the already wet ground completely saturated and unstable. Along with heavy winds, this storm system was the most damaging of the winter. In fact, it has been several years since our town has experienced a similar wrath delivered by Mother Nature. The combination of heavy rain and wind, with the weakened ground caused several large trees to fall onto houses and vehicles, causing severe damage. Other trees fell as well, narrowly missing property, but still causing problems by blocking streets and roads. Electrical wires were involved in most of these incidents, being damaged and causing extended power outages.

Perhaps the scariest event that took place during this period of time was a large tree that fell downtown onto two vehicles and the sidewalk. It also took down electrical wires which remained energized, plus inflicted severe damage to a utility pole. The most disheartening part of this incident was that the tree fell during calm and sunny weather conditions. Luckily, no one was hurt in any of these events.

The lesson to be learned from this is to be aware of our surroundings. In good weather and bad, with regard to trees and power lines, use caution. The various diseases that have struck in recent years have weakened many of the trees in this area, especially the large pines.

In the past we have discussed "preplanning" our living and working environments, and looking at them with "safety eyes." We can do the same thing when we are out on walks, parking our car or just hanging out in the yard. Watch out for leaning trees, erosion around roots and breaks in the soil at the base of tree trunks. If any of these symptoms are witnessed on city or private property, notify the Carmel Department of Forestry at 624-3543.

The use of "safety eyes" can be applied to just about any situation. We do not want you to become obsessed with safety, but taking a few seconds for awareness can help avoid disaster and tragedy.

In addition to trees and wires, take extra precautions in rough weather with regard to the beach and ocean. Avoid going out on the rocks next to the ocean, even in seemingly calm conditions. A large wave can appear out of nowhere, and although most locals are wise in this regard, remind those visiting you to be careful and stay off the rocks. A walk on the beach is part of many people's day, and is often done without much concern, nor should it be. But remember, shallow water flowing rapidly in the sand can knock us down and take us out. We also might want to think twice about walking on Scenic Drive when waves are crashing into the seawall. Moving up a block might be the wise thing to do.

The next Citizens' Emergency Response Training Class (CERT) is tentatively scheduled to begin on Saturday, April 10, from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. It will run on consecutive Saturdays through May 15. The class will be offered on Saturdays rather than Thursdays this time to accommodate those who are unable to attend classes on weekdays. If you have questions, call Mitch Kastros at the Carmel Fire Department: 620-2030.

Kudos to city crew for massive cleanup

The crew of the Public Works Department headed by Stu Ross and the Forest and Beach Department under Mike Branson, both coordinated by Margi Perotti, were officially thanked by the City Council at its March 2 meeting for their efforts during recent storms. These dedicated people managed in a very short time to clear the downed trees and all the broken branches that littered almost every street in town. We are fortunate to have such a hard-working group of employees in Carmel.

City scolded for ignoring its commissioners

One after another, residents filed to the podium to tell council members and the city administrator how displeased they were with the sudden removal of the area in front of the post office that included space for a significant tree and a gracious bench. "Outraged" and "autocratic" were among the terms used.

Many speakers complained that this unilateral change was made by the city administrator without consulting with the forest and beach, traffic and safety or planning commissions or the City Council itself. All of these groups have oversight over such projects.

Steve Brooks, forest and beach commissioner, characterized the action as "an autocratic slap in the face of the forester, public works director, police chief, commissioners and the volunteer group Friends of Carmel Forest." Referring to the Forest and Beach Commission being excluded also from the earlier decision to cut the eucalyptus trees on Fourth Avenue, he continued, "Now I feel it necessary to be on guard against potential end runs by the city. As a forest and beach commissioner, I feel as if I don't count."

Councilman Dick Ely said, "We'll never know the details and innuendos on what took place. It was totally inappropriate--wrong! We are increasingly seeing commissions who should advise us not listened to. We should direct staff to put it back the way it was."

Councilwoman Barbara Livingston, who had placed this item on the agenda, asked the council to support her request to restore the site. Councilwoman Paula Hazdovac said it was a safety issue, that she had suggested the change to the city administrator and liked the new, straight configuration. Mayor

Traffic study outlined by consultant

Characterized as a "shopping basket of bite-size improvements that will make a difference," Barbara van Heerden, project manager for Higgins Associates, reported the highlights of a traffic study to the council. One recommendation is four-way stops on all corners in the business district. She felt that the number of pedestrian accidents--26--in the 2 year study-period was a high number. Most of the 153 parked vehicle accidents occurred in the commercial area, where there are more distractions to driving and "inconsistencies in traffic control." The report found no speeding problem in the business district, but van Heerden felt, had they been asked to look, they would have found "more than enough reason to post 15 m.p.h. in residential zones."

Only 7 months of 2003 was in the study period, but during those months there was a steady increase in the number of accidents. van Heerden suggested the city complete the year's statistics to see if the trend continued. No one knows the cause, but it was suggested cell phones could play a part.

Barbara Livingston characterized the report as "straight-line mentality with big-city solutions" -- no mention of esthetic solutions to speeding used by many city planners such as narrower streets and landscaping. van Heerden replied, "We were told never to use the word traffic calming in our traffic study." A letter from Clayton Neill, city engineer, echoed Livingston: "...Carmel has historically favored the 'rustic' approach (narrow streets, curving around trees, no stop lights, impaired sight distance at intersections, etc.)--the beneficial result of which is slower speeds and fewer personal injuries."

OLD CARMEL
by Connie Wright

Laura Maxwell, Pioneer

Laura Wesson Maxwell was born October 13, 1877, in Carson City, Nevada, of a pioneering family. She spent her early years in San Francisco, where she studied with Sidney Yard, a watercolorist.

In Carmel, the artists' colony was just about to begin. Jane Gallatin Powers established the first artist's studio in 1903; Jessie Short, also a student of Yard's, built her studio the same year. In 1904 Yard moved to Carmel and in 1906, before the earthquake, Laura Maxwell moved, establishing her studio at Carmelo and Santa Lucia, and continued to study with Yard. She did not, however, remain here continuously, but studied in New York at the Peters-Bancroft School and at the Boston School of Design. Maxwell spent summers sketching in America and Europe and studied for four years at l'Académie Julien in Paris, where Monterey Peninsula artists Francis McComas and Charles Rollo Peters also studied. She travelled in Asia, Italy, France, the Balkans, Mexico and on a mule in Dalmatia. It was her habit to travel about alone in a period when it was improper for a lady to travel without a female companion. She was on her own when she travelled through the remote parts of Mexico. In Paris she took the bus alone, and got off whenever she saw something interesting; in one instance, not knowing who they were, she got off into a mob of angry Communists. She said of her adventures: "Every experience in life--pleasant or disagreeable--helps you," and felt that fear was the most dangerous curb to expression. "It is too easy to close one's life up into a book of fear."

Although she continued to travel throughout her life, she returned to Carmel in 1918 with her husband, Capt. William Lindsay Maxwell, USN, and began showing at the old Arts and Crafts Hall. When the Arts and Crafts Club became the Carmel Art Association, she helped to raise funds to purchase the site and the original building for the Association and helped physically to build the Carmel Art Association Gallery.

Laura Maxwell painted both in oils and watercolors, but came to prefer watercolor. She was a plein air painter, preferring to work on site, but she found carrying a thirty-pound oil kit onerous. She began to paint watercolors and found that she liked their purity of color and freshness. She used very large brushes and "slathers of paint," inappropriate for watercolors traditionally. Oils are traditionally associated with men because of their boldness, vigor, and are deemed more important than watercolors, which are lighter in color and form and are suited to the delicate nature of ladies, who, tradition says, modestly prefer a second ranking. Laura Maxwell did not conform to this notion of the ladylike watercolorist at all, while, interestingly, her teacher, Sydney Yard, did. Her watercolors of flowers are powerful in form, vibrant in color--bright orange, blue, green and red--and voluptuous in their depiction.

Maxwell had an international reputation. She exhibited at the Santa Cruz Art League, the Legion of Honor, the DeYoung Museum, Gump's and in Paris and Peking and had one-woman shows here at the Leaky Gallery and the Carmel Art Association. In 1947 she won the first prize for outstanding watercolor at the California State Fair, and in 1949, the second place award for watercolor by the Society of Western Artists. She is listed in Women Artists of the American West.

Laura Maxwell is a pioneer because she was an iconoclast of conventional forms, both in her life and in her art. She died at the Fort Ord Hospital in August, 1967, at age ninety. One of her oil paintings is on view in council chambers at Carmel City Hall. Some of her watercolors are reproduced in the Carmel Art Association's Six Early Women Artists.

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