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CRA News May 2009
Selected articles from the newsletter of the Carmel Residents Association
Celebrating the Artist Amongst
Us
Carmel Residents Association's Festival of Artists,
Photographers and Writers
| Thursday, May 28 | |
| 4 p.m. Viewing of art 5 p.m. Readings Cherry Center for the Arts The public is invited. |
|
The Carmel Residents Association boasts a multitude
of creative members – and the fourth festival of artists and writers,
Celebrating the Artist Amongst Us, is their chance to shine!
On Thursday, May 28, CRA members will have the opportunity to immerse
themselves in the words and works of these talented people. Spearheaded
by Frankie Laney, with the assistance of Fran Vardamis,
the gala event will include an exhibit of art, sculpture and photography,
as well as reading in the theater by CRA writers. Bill Englander
will play the piano in the gallery and you will even be able to purchase
books and art.
The doors of the Cherry Center for the Arts will open at 4 p.m. for viewing
of art, while wine and appetizers are enjoyed in the garden. At 5 p.m.,
CRA authors and poets will give short readings of their work in the theater,
followed by continued enjoyment of food, wine, the art exhibit and the
sculpture garden.
This year's exhibit offers a rare, one-time opportunity to view a bust
of CRA founder and former president, the late J.S. "Jim" Holliday, sculpted
by his widow, artist Belinda Vidor Holliday. The work, commissioned by
the California State Library, will be unveiled in Sacramento in the fall,
when the State Library's Rare Book Room is dedicated to Jim. A well-known
painter, Belinda had never attempted a sculpture before this venture.
We think you will be pleased with her end result!
This year the paintings, sculptures and photographs will be on display
at the Cherry Center from May 28 through May 31. Although only CRA members
may attend the May 28 program (because of space constraints), the public
is invited and encouraged to see the extended show.
Participating artists are Eleen Auvil, Melanie Billig, Barbara Butler,
Olof Dahlstrand, Cornelia "Posh" Emery, Art Haseltine, Belinda Vidor Holliday,
Marshall Hydorn, Frankie Laney, Casey MacKenzie, Ali Miner, Jean Neiman,
Mary Ellen Okelberry, Pierre Prodis, Stan Spohn, Joyce Stevens, Rose Mary
Ullman, Sally Weil, Malcolm Weintraub and Joan Zaslow.
Writers are Kay Ambro, Barbara Butler, Olof Dahlstrand, Gabriella Graham,
Phyllis Kelley, Barbara Mossberg, Wies Norberg, Flo Snyder and Fran Vardamis.
There is ample parking near the Cherry Center, but because it is in a
residential neighborhood, we ask you to park carefully.
Get ready for summer!
CRA Summer Beach Cleanups
Saturday, May 23, June 27, July 25 and August
22
Cleanups begin at 10 a.m. at the foot of Ocean Ave.
Twilight Members' Barbecue at Indian Village
Thursday, August 20
This is one of CRA's most popular events. Headed this year by Jane
and Tony Diamond, it will be another festive evening. A flier
with details will be mailed to all members in early August. If you would
like to help with the barbecue – which involves fun and camaraderie
in addition to work – give Jane and Tony a call, before June
1, at 622-9620.
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A dose of Carmel is good
for your health! We talk a lot about how lucky
we are to live in this spectacular place. In fact, it's difficult
not to overdo the enthusiasm about our natural beauty, ambiance,
community character and quality of life. Two more Cheers Following is a cheer
we ran out of room for last month, plus one new one – |
President's Message
Everything You Need To Know ...
by Barbara Livingston
It is my great pleasure to inform our members that
the A-Z booklet – everything you need to know about our village
from A to Z – will soon be hot off the press. Well, give or take
four weeks.
The text, which has been vetted by local organizations and the city, is
a rewrite and update of a city book that I worked on in the early 1990's,
which has been out of print for years. The intent is to inform residents
and business people about all aspects of village life – non profit
organizations, the City Council, boards and commissions, our cultural
venues, the courtyards downtown, the notable buildings, the Bohemian artists,
the beach bluffs, the parks and trails – you name it, we put it
in. We made a conscious effort to be inclusive. The art work is by Carmel
artist Kelly Steele and the layout/design is by Carmel's Bonny McGowan
of Victoria Design.
Naturally there are bound to be minor little imperfections or inconsistencies
that even our eagle-eyed proof readers didn't catch. But didn't someone
once say that perfection is boring? Keep that thought if you find
a little glitch and be kind to the writers and proof readers.
The booklet will be mailed to every property owner in the village, but
not, unfortunately, to Carmel renters, as their addresses are not available
to us. If you or someone you know does not get a copy ,please contact
me and I'll promptly drop one in the mail.
We hope that Carmel Realtors will want to purchase booklets in bulk for
home buyers and renters. We can make them available at a reasonable cost.
The CRA Board is deeply indebted to our business sponsors, who gave so
generously to this project. Please remember them when you look for a service
or a business to patronize. Their names and phone numbers will be found
in the booklet.
We are also grateful also to our CRA member donors, who generously contributed
to help fund the costs of production. Their names will also be listed.
Thank you one and all for your support and enthusiasm for this project,
long a dream of mine to complete.
Have a wonderful summer! We will see each other again as CRA members at
our August Fiesta BBQ in Pebble Beach and at our September General Meeting,
which will be followed by another delicious "Dines Out" at a Carmel restaurant.
Beach Cleanup
Saturday, May 23
10 a.m. - noon
* Volunteers meet at foot of Ocean
Avenue
* Please bring gloves
* Coffee and cookies served courtesy of Carmel Coffee House
and Safeway Stores, Carmel.
* Thanks to the Pine Cone for the ad donated each month!
A sobering, but realistic budget
Carmel is faced with a 10% downturn in revenues and increasing employee-related costs. And, the state might "borrow" another $443,000 from Carmel! The draft budget for 2009-2012 presented by City Administrator Rich Guillen at a special May 7 City Council meeting is realistic, but sobering.
Guillen's prescription for the city during these unhealthy economic times – cut operating costs by 10% across the board and transfer funds from the city's healthy reserves to close budget gaps for the next three years.
Pointing out that Carmel depends almost entirely upon tourism for its revenue base, the city administrator suggested that the City Council consider taking steps to find new sources of revenue which aren't dependent upon tourism. These new options include paid parking with kiosks in the commercial area, construction truck impact fees, property assessments, increased fees for utility/TV franchises and sharing service with adjoining public agencies.
In the past, the city has trimmed staff during years of budget constraint. However, Guillen pointed out that total staff has been reduced from 120 several years ago to just 72, which he considers bare bones. If staff were reduced further, the city could lose its identity and the public would see a decrease in service. Trimming public safety and public works staff would be out of the question because public safety, which they handle, is a paramount priority.
One area which will affect residents is the proposed reduction in library hours. The Harrison Memorial Library hours would be reduced from 42 to 32 per week; Youth Services, from 39 to 32 hours and Local History, from 16 to 8.
In 2009/10, the only capital projects funded will be those covered by grants or Proposition 1B.
Status of Fire-Service Negotiations
Rich Guillen announced that the negotiations to merge the Carmel Fire Department with Monterey have been put on hold indefinitely. The city will be gathering more information on other alternatives as well as looking at the possibility of merging additional services with other public entities.
Future Budget Meetings
A public hearing on the budget will be held in City Council Chambers on Wednesday, May 27, at 4:30 p.m. (Note that this is a day earlier than originally scheduled.) And, if the budget is not adopted on the 27th, another meeting will be held on Tuesday, June 9 at 4:30 in City Council chambers.
Where to Find Information on the Budget
You can download a PDF copy of the draft budget on the Carmel-by-the-Sea official web site. Go to http://ci.carmel.ca.us/carmel/index.cfm and click on the Government tab. Or, you can call Molly Laughlin at City Hall, 620-2000, and tell her that you want to pick up a budget. If you just want the main ideas without all of the numeric detail, ask Molly for the city administrator's Budget Message.
Our library rates 5 stars!
We have always known it. This wasn't
a surprise. Our Harrison Memorial Library is a gem – an incredible
resource for Carmel area residents and visitors, both adults and children!
But it delights us to have what we have always known validated –
in a big way! Our library has been awarded a rating of five stars by
the prestigious Library Journal.
The Journal's 2009 Index of Public Library Service rated 7,115
public libraries using four measures: circulation per capita, visits
per capita, program attendance per capita and public internet uses per
capita. Then the libraries were grouped according to their operating
expenditures and the top ones assigned three, four or five stars. Out
of that entire group surveyed, only 256 libraries made the cut to be
assigned star ratings, and Carmel received the highest grade –
five stars!
The study's authors, Ray Lyons and Keith Curry Lance, suggest that the
administrators of unrated or lower-rated libraries could use these ratings
of peer libraries to measure and improve their own performance. "Since
the Library Journal Index rates libraries on four representative
service outputs, it measures what may be thought of as 'prerequisites'
for library quality and value," Lyons and Lance write, "A library that
excels on the Index is very likely to be headed in the direction of
high service quality and excellence."
So, we hope that no one will take our library – both the main
and the Park branch for granted. Much of its success is due to two non-profit
groups – the Carmel Public Library Foundation and Friends of
Harrison Memorial Library.
The Carmel Public Library Foundation is responsible each year for the
purchase of more than 4,800 books, videos, periodicals and audio books.
They also fund books and craft supplies used by more than 1,300 children
at Storytime Programs, the library's online catalog and public access
to the Internet. To donate to the Foundation, send a check to Carmel
Public Library Foundation, P.O. Box 2042, Carmel, CA 93921. Or call
(831) 624-2811.
The Friends of HML hold a spectacular book sale at All Saints Church
each August – members get special access on the Friday before.
Friends volunteers accept donated books each Tuesday. Drive into the
south Sunset Center parking lot and you'll see the sign. To join the
Friends, call membership chairman and CRA member Vi Fox at 626-1588
or mail your name, address and dues to: Treasurer, Friends of Harrison
Memorial Library. P.O. Box 87, Carmel, CA 93921.
CRA welcomes new board members
Don Newmark, Richard Stiles, Charlotte
Townsend and Ken White were recently elected to three-year terms on the
Carmel Residents Association Board of Directors. In addition, current
board members Betty Dalsemer and Roberta Miller were elected to second
terms. Great appreciation and thanks for their dedicated service go to
Vinz Koller, Casey MacKenzie, Sherry Shollenbarger and Beth Wright, who
are leaving the board.
A native Californian, Don Newmark has an M.A. in city and regional planning
from U.C. Berkeley. After a career in urban planning in various Bay Area
cities, he retired in San Mateo, where he was chairman of the San Mateo
County Historical Resources Advisory Board. He also served for two years
on the Monterey Commission for Historic Preservation. Newmark teaches
a jazz class at the Carmel Foundation. Don and his wife Laura, a poet
and contributor to CRA News, live in Carmel's Hatton Fields.
Dick Stiles graduated from San Jose State with a business major in 1958.
For ten years he worked for Union Oil Company in sales. Obtaining a teaching
credential in 1969, he taught social science in the Campbell High School
District in San Jose. Retiring in 1994, Dick moved to Carmel with his
wife Barbara, also a retired teacher. He has served as treasurer on the
board of the Carmel Residents Association, serves on the ACLU board and
is treasurer of the local Monterey Peninsula Democratic Club.
Mayor of Carmel-by-the-Sea from 1982 to 1986, Charlotte Townsend attended
Carmel schools and graduated from Stanford University. Her early jobs
include: manager of the Blue Bird Restaurant in Carmel, assistant to the
county school librarian in Salinas, office manager of the Pine Cone
and assistant to the director of the Laguna Seca Race Track. The first
woman elected to the Carmel Sanitary District Board of Directors, now
the Carmel Area Wastewater District, she still serves on that board. Prior
to her election as mayor, she served on the Carmel Library Board.
Before his two terms as Carmel's mayor, from 1992 to 2000, Ken White served
on the Recreation Committee and Forest and Beach Commission and chaired
the Planning Commission. He was instrumental in initiating the renovation
of Sunset Center and also helped to organize the award-winning St. Bernard
project. He has been active on the Salvation Army Board, spent 25 years
as a volunteer fireman, is a former chair of the Carmel Unified School
District board and was a Carmel Youth baseball coach. Ken currently is
president of the Friends of Sunset Foundation and chair of the Carmel
Area Waste Water District. In March Ken was named CRA's 2008 Citizen of
the Year. Ken and his wife Jean live in a Murphy home, which has been
in Ken's family for years.
CRA "Dines Out" Committee has new members
Kathleen and Barry Swift are joining CRA board member Mary Ellen Thomas in organizing the popular dinners after Carmel Residents Association meetings.
Dick Dalsemer
CRA's e-mail manager
Former member of the CRA board Dick
Dalsemer has been sending informational, helpful email alerts for a couple
of years. He has recently agreed to take on the additional job of e-mail
manager – handling the organization's email account –
receiving and responding to all of the emails sent to our organization's
address at
CRA shows its appreciation of special community members
In an effort to stimulate the local
economy, the April CRA News was devoted to businesses in town that
cater to residents. At the April 23 Carmel Residents Association meeting,
President Barbara Livingston presented Certificates of Appreciation
to four business owners whose service to the community has been exceptional
for many years. In addition, she went to City Hall to honor retiring Planning
Commissioner Bill Strid. Her remarks follow:
"Copies by the Sea – Barbara Podoloff operates a one-woman
copy shop in a little cubbyhole across the street from the Post Office.
She caters to locals and throws in for free her saucy comments on life
in the village. This good-hearted woman collects clothes for migrant workers
and personally delivers them to the fields in south Monterey County. When
you stop in to have documents copied, bring her something from your closet
you haven't worn in a long while.
"Carmel Drug Store – Owner Ross Arnold runs a full-service
drug and sundries store with delivery service available. Almost all drug
plans are accepted. This is Carmel's only drug store. We are so
grateful for the years that it has been in business. Where else but at
the accommodating Carmel Drug Store could I call and simply say, 'Hi Ross,
this is Barbara. Please fill my prescriptions. Thanks.' And several hours
later find them on my front porch. Now that's service! [Since your
insurance company determines the price of drugs, Carmel Drug Store's prices
are no higher than local chain store pharmacies. – ed.]
"Nielsen's super, non supermarket – Merv and Nancie Sutton
provide free parking sheltered from the elements, delivery service, rotisserie
meats, a deli, gourmet items, flowers, a wine and liquor department, canape
trays for parties and gift baskets, in addition to all the other items
found in markets. My cousin called Nielsen's from Stockholm to order a
gift basket after he had spent several weeks with us in Carmel. It was
gorgeous! Nielsen's has been in business since Nancie's father and uncle
started it way back in 1935.
"Pilgrim's Way Bookstore – Owners Paul Fridlund and Cynthia Fernandes
offer soft music, a succulent garden tucked in back and books for all
ages. Stop in and browse the shop on the east side of Dolores, south of
the Post Office. If the book you want isn't in stock, they will get it
for you in two days. They also offer discounts to book clubs which order
in bulk. This is the only bookstore remaining in our village. We
must continue to support Paul and Cynthia.
"Bill Strid, Planning Commissioner from 1996 to 2009 and chair since 2002,
is retiring from city government. He was a champion for our residential
and traditional quality of life in Carmel by the Sea. "Bill, you have
earned the deepest respect and gratitude of all Carmelites for your careful
– not careless, thoughtful – not thoughtless, adherence
to the goals, objectives and policies of our General Plan and to the ordinances
and guidelines and master plans of Carmel-by-the-Sea. Your deliberations
and decisions were always based on your long-term vision of what was best
for the city you served.
"We hope that you and Warren will settle in a community as beautiful and
friendly as our village and that you continue your travels to the far
reaches of the earth in good health and great happiness. Good luck and
best wishes to you always."
After Spring Rainby Laura Newmark
|
[Laura wrote this poem in early March
– "Seen in our back garden early one morning when sunshine followed
a night of rain."]
|
City has 12 commission
and board openings – an opportunity to get involved
We're not sure that there ever
has been a time when the city had so many openings on its commissions
and boards. So, if you see something in the list below that would be
a good fit for you, applications are being accepted until August 28,
2009. Just go to City Hall, Monte Verde between Ocean & 7th, between
8 a.m. and 5 p.m., and ask for City Clerk Heidi Burch. She also has
a full description of the duties and responsibilities of each board
and commission. All are five-member bodies.
Design Review Board – Three vacancies
All members of the Design Review Board shall be residents and electors
of the City. Applicants should share varied backgrounds and experience
in architecture, historical architecture, design, landscaping or construction/building
industry or any combination thereof.
Forest and Beach Commission – Two vacancies
A two-thirds majority of the Commission must reside in the City, and
the remainder may be residents of the City's Sphere of Influence. Applicants
should have an interest in, or familiarity with, the City's parks and
open space.
Harrison Memorial Library Board of Trustees. Two vacancies
At least three members of the Board shall reside in the City, and no
more than two members shall be residents from the City's adopted Sphere
of Influence. All members of the Harrison Memorial Library Board of
Trustees shall possess a valid Harrison Memorial Library patron card.
Applicants should have an interest in, and knowledge of, library services.
Historic Resources Board – Two vacancies
All members of the Board must be electors of the City, except in the
event that no elector with the required expertise can be found the appointee
may be a resident outside the City limits. In any event, a majority
of the Committee must at all times be composed of electors of the City.
Applicants should have an interest in and knowledge of the architectural,
cultural or historical resources of the City.
Planning Commission – Three vacancies
All members of the Planning Commission shall be residents and electors
of the City and have particular interest in, and familiarity with, planning
matters.
Driving & handheld cells dangerous for your safety & your pocketbook
As always, our Carmel Police Department was responsive and helpful. Commander Mike Calhoun got right back to us and, indeed, our law enforcement community has been taking this law very seriously. According to Commander Calhoun, Monterey Traffic Court, through April 2009, has a record of 3,502 citations written within the county, including the California Highway Patrol.
The Carmel Police Department records indicate the department issued 405 citations from the enactment of the law through May 5, 2009. This represents a 12% share of the total citations issued county wide. Pretty impressive for one square mile!
The fine for a first offense, including penalty assessments, is $76. A second offense is $190. Although a violation of the handheld cell phone ban is a reportable offense and will appear on your driving record, it will not count as a point (which affects insurance rates).
So, unless you have a bluetooth device or iPhone earphones, don't initiate a call while you are driving and, if your phone rings, ignore it or find a safe place to pull over before answering.
SPOTLIGHT ON MEMBERS
CRA artists in the news
Cornelia "Posh" Emery had a lovely
painting, Quail Reflections, in an April Monterey Bay Plein Air
Painters Association exhibit at Quail Lodge and has four paintings in
the current Gallery North show in honor of its reopening and its 5th anniversary.
The gallery moved in March to the NW corner of Dolores and 6th. In addition,
Posh will participate in the Carmel Art Festival, May 15 to 17.
Ten of Frankie Laney's beautiful watercolors were featured in a three-person
art show at the Carmel Art Association in April. The other artists were
Mary FitzGerald Beach and Susan Reith.
Both Frankie and Posh will also be featured in CRA's May 28 art exhibit
at the Cherry Center. (See details above.)
Bob Kohn honored by CHOMP
Bob Kohn was honored by Community
Hospital CEO Dr. Steven Packer at a luncheon for 300 CHOMP volunteers
and staff on April 11 at Spanish Bay. Bob was recognized for his 5000
hours, over 24 years, as supervisor of volunteers at the front desk. He
joins 51 other CHOMP volunteers who have achieved this status and been
inducted into the Galaxy Club. In accepting his award, Bob credited Stanley
Page (deceased) and Pierre Delfausse for recruiting him as a CHOMP volunteer.
Bob was Carmel Residents Association Citizen of the Year for 1996, participated
in Red Cross National Disaster efforts in Kaui (hurricane), St. Louis
(Midwest floods), Southern California (earthquake), Carmel Valley (floods)
and also served as a Carmel Forest & Beach Commissioner. Currently he
is a director of the Carmel Area Wastewater District, and supervisor of
polling for Carmel elections, a job he has done for 25 years.
CRA member to head Lions
Tom Korper will be the president
of the Carmel Host Lions Club starting this July. He just returned from
the Annual Lions Club International Convention in Sacramento.
The April issue of CRA News featured a Village
Profile by Tom Parks of Tom Korper, his wife Marta and their Ocean
Avenue business, St. Moritz Sweaters.
READABLE READS
Mystery mavens?
If you are mad about mysteries and on the lookout
for a new author, here is one you should try.
Tana French's In the Woods won the 2008 Edgar award for
a first novel and her second mystery, The Likeness, released in
2009, is even better. French's prose is beautiful, especially her descriptions
of the Irish countryside. The Likeness is narrated by Detective
Cassie Maddox, who played a major role in the first book. Both of these
page turners are available at Harrison Memorial Library.
Remember that your City Council
is on T.V.
and on the Web
City Council meetings are taped
and re-broadcast
Sundays, 8 a.m. - 12 noon on
KMST Channel 26
In addition, webcasts of council meetings can be viewed live or
at a later time on the city's web site: http://ci.carmel.ca.us/carmel/
