12 MONTEREY COUNTY WEEKLY january 11-17, 2024 www.montereycountyweekly.com Truth to Power Thank you for your reporting (“One Pacific Grove councilmember is taking a wrecking ball to City Hall,” Dec. 28-Jan. 3). I appreciate that the Weekly is standing firm in the facts of this matter. There are a couple of elected officials within Pacific Grove who act as if they are beyond reproach, though their actions deserve public scrutiny. The others are complicit in the overreach through their silence. Please continue to hold our council accountable. John Mothershead | Pacific Grove Thank you for your continued investigations into the issues with Pacific Grove City Council. It is well documented in the recorded council meetings that some of the elected officials have issues with the city staff. Choose any meeting in 2023 to see the staff being treated with disdain. We have residents that think Coletti is the “savior” of Pacific Grove (“Letters,” Jan. 4-10). We have other residents that feel Mr. Coletti is a manipulator and an entitled bully. My guess is the truth lies somewhere in the middle, as it always does. I have personally witnessed hostile treatment of the former city manager and staff in some council meetings by Mr. Coletti. In my 40 years of working and volunteering, I have never heard an authority figure speak to another colleague or subordinate that way. It was rude, inconsiderate and bordered on bullying. If any of my managers spoke to me like that, I would go directly to HR and file a complaint citing a hostile work environment. Staff and City Council should be a team, working together for the City of Pacific Grove. There is no reason to berate another human for not being able to read your mind. Communication is a twoway street and the manner of communication has been inappropriate and unprofessional. Coletti has become a liability to Pacific Grove. Other members of the City Council and the mayor are complicit in allowing the harassment to continue. He does not treat people with respect and is costing the taxpayers a lot of money. Bottom line, he should be asked to resign or, at the very least, announce he will not run for re-election in 2024. Mary Walker | Pacific Grove Without an ordinance for a council code of conduct with consequences to such action, there will be no check in place for this situation. Councilmember Luke Coletti has also been known to bully constituents who challenge him. I speak from firsthand experience. Others that have been mistreated are reluctant to speak out. Coletti is driven and works hard, but this isn’t a good match. It’s honestly dangerous when power is used this way, and we as residents must be willing to take some action to change it. How much are we willing to overlook? We can make progress without stepping on people. Not only does Coletti need to step down, but the city needs to codify consequences to this behavior. Thank you, Weekly. Colleen Ingram | Pacific Grove Ride On Interesting idea (“A gap in the Rec Trail might finally get closed – as long as it keeps room for trains,” Dec. 28-Jan. 3). I ride the bike path several times a week and don’t have a problem with the current Sand Dunes Drive alignment (though it would be great if the city did a better job of promptly removing sand after storms). It would probably be better for Sand City and Seaside residents to help connect to the coastal parts of the trail. That said, the trail along the dunes is much more scenic and pleasant than being sandwiched between auto shops and warehouses. Josh Warburg | Seaside Democracy FTW The third anniversary of Jan. 6 is a solemn reminder that we cannot take our fundamental freedoms for granted, including our right to vote and choose our leaders (“Looking back— and ahead to the next election—on the third anniversary of Jan. 6,” posted Jan. 5). Despite the fact that Donald Trump is facing charges for inciting the insurrection and conspiring to overturn the will of voters in 2020, he is still running for president. Too much is at stake for the American people to allow Trump to take back power. Trump is desperately seeking a second term in the hopes of avoiding accountability for his crimes by pardoning himself, and he and his allies are already plotting to weaponize the Department of Justice against his enemies. After seeing how far Trump was willing to go on Jan. 6, we should take all of his threats seriously. Preserving our democracy takes work—and this year, we must all do our part. It’s up to all of us to ensure they do not return to power. Susan Whitney | Salinas Home price I too believe my house is a “Poster House” for an 85-percent reduction in property tax (“The Carmel City Council puts the brakes on a property tax break for a wealthy landowner. Jan. 4-10). I promise to inject those savings back into our local bars and breweries! Christopher Hauswirth | via social media Outdoors for All Thank you for your article (“Latino Outdoors has a new, local chapter that brings novice adventurers closer to nature,” Dec. 28-Jan. 3). The trails are meant for everyone to enjoy. Barbara Dieterle | via email Weather report I’m from metro Boston and I’m with you! (“Monterey County makes for easy dreams for the New Year,” posted Jan. 2.) Transitioning here and coming to accept the tragic loss of autumn I am finally fine with it. You are absolutely right, suiting up like that every day is for the birds! And I remember that ice storm! Everything covered in ice is so spooky and scary with trees still with leaves on it and power lines. Thanks for the memories! Kate Bergam | Salinas Your intro made me laugh, because I’ve lived nearly all my long life near or at the Pacific coast. Your good-natured description of real life somewhere else seemed very amusing. I know it isn’t. Thank you for reminding us superlucky people who live here that life is not idyllic everywhere. Marilyn Brown | Pacific Grove 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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