12 MONTEREY COUNTY WEEKLY january 4-10, 2024 www.montereycountyweekly.com Fighting City Hall I think you are absolutely wrong about Luke Coletti (“One Pacific Grove councilmember is taking a wrecking ball to City Hall,” Dec. 28-Jan. 3). He asked questions of staff; he did not give orders. At least we have one councilman willing to ask questions and make inquiry before making decisions. He has my vote. Why don’t you apply for the city manager position? I imagine it pays better than the Weekly. And CalPERS is a wonderful benefit (have you planned for your senior years? A defined benefit pension will have you sleeping soundly at night.). Glen Grossman | via email I wish the Weekly would stop the cheap shots at P.G. City Councilmember Luke Coletti and do some serious reporting on the city’s government, I think you could change your biases and tone pretty quickly. You may not like Coletti’s inquisitiveness and determined questioning, but that’s exactly why a large majority of voters put him on the council. He has been effective. If well-paid government employees think of questions as “bullying” and not “accountability,” maybe they should try working in private businesses. Please take an honest look at the performances of some of the staff, including some of the former employees you seem to be championing. I think we need more Luke Colettis in our local government while we still have a Pacific Grove worth keeping. Thom Akeman | Pacific Grove We, the citizens of Pacific Grove, love our Luke Coletti! This latest dumb piece of journalism (?) about him “taking a wrecking ball to City Hall” is pure nonsense. What Luke DOES do is thoroughly examine and research all problems being addressed by the city, and call out mishandlings AND the “mishandlers.” He doesn’t stop investigating or pushing for solutions because someone’s feathers get ruffled. Thank you, Luke, for your factbased questioning, and your never-ending work for the best interests of our town. Your “vendetta” against our hero is wearing very thin. Diana Howell | Pacific Grove Why is the Weekly reporting on the repercussions of one councilmember’s aggressive behavior? Because it is costing the city LOTS of money and staff. Outside consultants and labor representatives agree. Coletti was recused from Ben Harvey’s job performance reviews due to his behavior, but was given a spot on the subcommittee to find a new city manager. He has complaints against him for his behavior with staff but is allowed to bring forward an ordinance that would allow him to continue his behavior. Even in the council meeting to present this ordinance, the mayor had to interrupt Coletti’s persistent questioning/interrogating of staff. What the Weekly is doing is sounding the alarm. This head-scratcher is a mirror to what is going on in our national politics today. I just hope enough residents are listening and will speak up. Colleen Ingram | Pacific Grove I have a great deal of respect for Luke Coletti. However, I would urge caution on this issue. I truly hope the Council will consult a law firm that has deep experience on employment law before locking this ordinance into place. Many of us have been in the untenable position of having too many bosses, and bosses with different styles. And bosses that are more or less versed in what distinguishes a hostile work environment. There is an assumption that “public servants” are somehow more beholden to their employers (the “public”) but they are also employees that are human beings who should be afforded all the considerations of fellow beings. We get it. Members of the Council want answers so they can make decisions. But asking lower-level employees to make determinations, perhaps requiring inordinate time and effort, is at root poor management of Human Resources. How is an employee to prioritize one council member’s inquiry over another? The “lines of authority” chart presented by Coletti illustrates the problem—a line from Council to staff. There is some merit to codifying the vague sentence in the City Charter, but this cake is still half-baked. Tom Hicks | Pacific Grove Slow Drip Thank you for your continuing reporting on local legal matters (“The drip continues in MPWMD’s efforts to buy out Cal Am,” posted Dec. 21). As a retired lawyer, I know how tedious and time-consuming reviewing court files can be. Keep up the good work. Jim Tarhalla | Corral de Tierra Mission Statement Thank you for this nice article about the California Mission Walker program (“Moved by faith, Bob Brunson walked 800 miles to visit 21 California missions,” Dec. 21-27). We are so fortunate to have historic missions in our county. Karen Jernigan | King City Bob is to be congratulated for raising awareness about a pilgrimage in our own backyard that tells the story of California by retracing the steps of those who came before us. Ronald Briery | Medford, Oregon In a Word I’ve contributed to your 101-word story contest in the past and have enjoyed reading the stories for years, but now I’m questioning the wisdom of my decision. The winner of this year’s contest took a jab at socialism by rewriting an old, distasteful political joke (“101-Word Short Story Contest 2023,” De. 21-27). Without America’s social programs, countless seniors would be homeless and living without access to medical care. With the current contentious political environment in this country, I find it deeply troubling that you would allow your 101-word contest to make such a divisive statement. Robert Feist | via email A Photo’s Worth… Best photographs ever! The wonders of nature AND of the mid-century engineering feats (“Looking back at 2023: The year in ETC photos,” posted Dec. 29). Happy New Year, Monterey County Weekly! Brita Ostrom | Big Sur Letters • CommentsOPINION Submit letters to the editor to letters@mcweekly.com. Please keep your letter to 150 words or less; subject to editing for space. Please include your full name, contact information and city you live in.
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