Cambrian letters to the editor, Feb. 11, 2016

CCAT plays a true treasure in village

The Arts in Cambria play such an important role in making this an extraordinary community. The Cambria Center for the Arts (CCAT) has continually showcased the finest talent on the Central Coast.

Last Saturday, we attended our first CCAT fundraiser, a Mardi Gras Party for the Arts, featuring live music and delicious food and wine generously donated by our local restaurants and wineries.

We had a great time and want to thank Nancy Green and all of the artists who worked tirelessly to make our evening so much fun.

We hope more of our friends and neighbors join in supporting CCAT as one of our village’s true treasure.

Looking forward to seeing you next year.

CFR encourages hearing attendance

Cambrians for Fiscal Responsibility (CFR), is hopeful there will be a successful Proposition 218 protest. We have mailed out 1,500 protest forms to out-of-town owners of Cambria properties, offering them the opportunity to protest the rate increase(s).

The deadline for submitting a protest is at the public hearing, Friday, Feb. 12, at 9 a.m. at the Cambria Veterans Memorial Building, 1000 Main St., Cambria.

If you haven't had an opportunity to submit a protest, please email: cambrians4fiscalresponsibility@gmail.com.

We will send you an electronic form for you to download, print, and submit to CCSD either today, at its offices, between the the hours of 10 am and 3 p.m., or Feb. 12 at the Public Hearing.

Disinterested party needed in protest

Picture this: I provide a service to you. I decide you need to pay me more. If more than half of you say nothing, I get my raise. If more than half of you object, I don’t.

Oh, but I accidentally told you to send objections to the wrong address, so if you objected before, you have to object again.

So send your objections to me, and I’ll count them and tell you if I get my raise or not.

Are you comfortable with my arrangement?

And please don’t bother pointing out that the county will send someone up to count the protest forms, because they will only count what is presented to them as received.

I’m not calling any CCSD individual a cheat. I’m simply pointing out that a disinterested party should be handling the process. That’s just basic fairness. Whether or not impropriety takes place, the appearance of possible impropriety should be addressed.

‘Provocative’ letter on fire protection

Barbara Snyder’s letter published Feb. 4, “Don’t let fire deadline lapse,” is provocative. I walk by the lawn signs urging against Cal Fire taking over our fire operations. As we all study this objectively, however, let’s look at the many California communities that have contracted with Cal Fire to provide their fire protection services. Maybe they have information we don’t.

How is it working out for them? Who has been satisfied? Who has been dissatisfied? Why? Shouldn’t we Cambrians know this information before we make an informed decision?

This story was originally published February 10, 2016 at 9:57 AM with the headline "Cambrian letters to the editor, Feb. 11, 2016."