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DOING THE DIRTY WORK

Kera Abraham’s article on Deputy City Manager Charlene Wiseman’s resignation [“Agent Change,” Aug. 21-27] gave us startling insight into Ms. Wiseman’s behind-the-scenes job.

When was it decided to hire “a change agent” otherwise known as a “hatchet man” to replace almost all employees with friends of the City Manager? Along with Jim Colangelo, Ms. Wiseman managed to run-off or “reorganize” most city employees out of their jobs. City employees called incompetent with out-of-date skills found almost immediate employment in neighboring cities. Our police and fire departments are still being threatened and Public Works is also stressed. Is Ms. Wiseman going to “reorganize” them out of existence before she departs?

I’m outraged to hear that Ms. Wiseman’s “friends” labeled Pacific Grove a racist town. The people of Pacific Grove were the real victims of “disrespect” from Ms. Wiseman. The taxpayers paid her $152,000 a year for what she describes as intangible administrative services so she could get city government management experience.

Pat Herrgott | Pacific Grove

HOMETOWN LOVIN’ IN P.G.

I read the diatribe that City Manager Colangelo, soon to be ex-manager, extolled his accomplishment to the extent he should visit a good orthopedist to reposition his arms as he really strained them patting himself on the back [“Outta Here, Aug. 21-27].

He claims to have performed miracles in Pacific Grove when, in fact, he has done the opposite. He ran roughshod and fired dedicated city employees, replacing them with lower-level people, he ignored our safety by cutting our police department, he hired an assistant city manager whose accomplishments are parallel to his own, and a beancounter who tells us the budget is balanced. HAH!

I have lived in P.G. for 15 years and this is the worst condition this city has been in. We are kept in the dark as to what skullduggery goes on at City Hall. The infrastructure is a mess, the sewers still stink, the roads have potholes and depressions. I asked the foreman of road repairs to look into some severe problems and he said he would. That was three weeks ago and the problems are still there. These are the people he hired at lower salaries.

We also have a mayor whose arrogance is only exceeded by his ego. This is a retirement community and he wants to turn it into a circus by screwing up our main thoroughfare. We need someone who cares about us, not self-interests.

Andrew Wilson | Pacific Grove

NOT-SO-HAPPY TRAILS

Six government agencies have been working for two years on a pedestrian/bike path in Hatton Canyon without general public nor adjacent property owners’ input. The current project calls for a 12-foot-wide paved “path/trail” with 4-foot decomposed granite on one shoulder and another 2-foot decomposed granite on the other shoulder going from Canyon Drive to Rio Road with a pedestrian/bike tunnel under Carmel Valley Road. See www.tamcmonterey.org and click on “Bike.” The 30-day review period ends Sept. 8 for written comments before this proposal is submitted for final approval on Oct. 22 to TAMC Board of Directors.

Bonnie Gillooly | Carmel