Candidate for
Board Member; Monterey Peninsula Regional Park District; Ward 5

I've served eleven years on the MPRPD Board. I'm running again at the request of our new General Manager and our most senior Director, and to finish projects on which I've played the lead role. These projects are:

1. Development of a new park and open space in the heart of the Monterey Peninsula. This project involves the transfer of Jacks Peak County Park to the MPRPD, the purchase of an 860 acre contiguous parcel, the transfer of lands owned by the Housing Authority of Monterey County, a promised donation of contiguous acreage by a developer and possibly the donation or purchase of another substantial piece of land. The result would be an approximately 1,500-2,000 acre park, free to the public, open from dawn to dusk, seven days per week. Further, this park would be the world's largest preserve of naturally grown Monterey Pine Trees, and possibly the only sustainable natural Monterey Pine forest. It also would be a perfect location for a contemplated youth science camp.

2. Expansion and further refinement of our environmental education project (EE). Thus far, I've succeeded in getting the fluff out of our EE program, and relocating most of is efforts into our own parks and open spaces. Next, we need to help organize and integrate the upwards of fifty independent programs that go under the rubric of EE, run by fifty disparate organizations throughout the county. All of these programs could be focused upon the connection to the earth of the individual and all living beings, and ought to change the attitudes, where necessary, of young people to their environment. I expect that moneys for this expanded project can be raised for a new constituency of donors, who are more focused on life changing enterprises than traditional cultural organizations.

In my past MPRPD service, as the Chair of the Land Use and Acquisition Committee, I've focused upon new properties that the MPRPD might acquire, preserve and open to the public. Foremost among these is Palo Corona Ranch, at the entry of both Big Sur and Carmel Valley. The most recent acquisition are two properties contiguous to Palo Corona, which offer additional entry points to the back country of the Ranch. I was the strongest advocate of these purchases at MPRPD, but I stress that the acquisition of these properties was a collaborative effort among many organizations and individuals.