July 1 issue:
One View: Del Mar celebrates Joel Holliday
By Gordon Clanton
At its June 7 meeting the Del Mar City Council issued a Proclamation honoring long-time Del Mar resident Joel Holliday for his many contributions to the community and to the region.
Joel’s numerous accomplishments were scattered among the many WHEREASes:
Joel was one of three founding directors of the Del Mar Foundation, whose mission is to promote civic pride and cohesiveness, acquire and preserve open space, improve beaches and parklands, raise and grant funds, and sponsor diverse cultural programs.
Joel and four others formed the Powerhouse Park Committee to support City acquisition of the Powerhouse Park and Powerhouse building for public use, approved by voters in 1983. The Holliday family also generously supported City acquisition of the Shores Park property.
Apart from Del Mar, Joel and (his wife) Rosanne are long-term supporters of the La Jolla Playhouse and Planned Parenthood of the Pacific Southwest.
• • •
I got to know Joel and Rosanne during Joe Lang’s unsuccessful 1982 city council campaign. Hard to believe that was almost 40 years ago.
Through many subsequent campaigns and causes, Joel and Rosanne have been role models for me with Rosanne sometimes urging civil disobedience and Joel advising that we keep our powder dry.
During the campaign for the Beach Protection Initiative, Rosanne sunbathed on parts of the public beach that had been encroached upon by some beachfront property owners.
When a pro-development city council was considering a proposal to build a huge restaurant on the site that is now Powerhouse Park, Joel paid for a survey that showed massive community opposition to the proposed restaurant – and the project was defeated. No one did more than Joel to save Powerhouse Park and to restore the Powerhouse building, both now treasured community assets.
Rosanne and Joel give great parties, hosting an estimated 100 community events at their home over the last 40 years. I am grateful for their kindness and friendship.
Joel never sought the spotlight for himself, preferring to work quietly and cooperatively behind the scenes to get things done. When I recently tried to thank Joel for his many contributions to the community, he deflected my praise and shared the credit with the dozens of community activists with whom he worked over the years.
So we salute and celebrate Joel and Rosanne Holliday whose generosity and imagination have made Del Mar a better place.
— Gordon Clanton teaches sociology at San Diego State University. He welcomes comments at . gclanton@sdsu.edu.
July 8 issue:
Measure MM expenses appropriate
As the former secretary of the Del Mar Union School District Citizens Oversight Committee for Measure MM, I am familiar with the legality of expenditures of MM funds and how projects were studied and selected for inclusion in the proposed bond issuance. Bond counsel to the Measure MM Citizens Oversight Committee and the Board of Trustees reviewed the litigation expenditures in detail and approved their being charged as appropriate Measure MM expenses.
In fact, in preparing the MM proposal, the trustees were aware that environmental, zoning and other contested issues had resulted in expensive litigation and settlements paid by other California school districts, and specifically provided for this possibility in the resolution overwhelmingly approved by voters: “Project costs for the above referenced projects may include … environmental review(s) and proceedings, … direct legal costs and related costs.” Ms. Sutton’s premise in her July 1 Education Matters opinion column titled “Measure MM funds used for legal fees” is thereby disproved.
Board accountability over many years is responsible for the quality of education achieved. DMUSD students, parents, taxpayers and alumni are justifiably proud of their perennial standing in the top five percent in the state on standardized testing, even higher when other factors are considered. DMUSD teachers and administrators are amongst the highest paid in the state because they, too, are held accountable and appropriately rewarded for performance. Ms. Sutton, with no evidence, claims to speak for stakeholders. Policies she advocates such as consolidating the schools west of I-5 have been rejected by the true stakeholders, generations of DMUSD voters.
Ira Sharp
Del Mar
July 15 issue:
Duncan Brown: Perspective of a former student
I am an alum of Oakcrest and San Dieguito Academy (SDA), taught by a group of exceptionally supportive and knowledgeable teachers. And Duncan Brown was my counselor for my time at SDA. I’ve known Duncan Brown my entire life. My mom is a teacher and has worked closely with his wife for over 25 years. His daughter and I grew up together.
It shocks me to read accusations of Mr. Brown “stalking” and “jumping out of the bushes” at board members, of being “power hungry” separating him from the teachers he represents. These images of some evil person are laughable to anyone who knows Mr. Brown. We all know Duncan Brown to be humble, soft-spoken, supportive and principled.
That evil image of him is laughable, until it isn’t funny anymore. This past year, my mom would describe teaching during the pandemic – the difficulties of the job, yes, but more sadly about the contentious environment brought on by the same people making these attacks on Mr. Brown. One day back in January, I was texting my mom back and forth as she was listening in on a school board meeting. She described how everyone would say how they loved and respected teachers, while continually marginalizing them in decisions about reopening. I responded back to her, “Everyone loves teachers…until they want to be safe or get paid.”
Mr. Brown served me well as my counselor – building my course schedule, writing letters of recommendation, being a smiling face in the office. He also serves my mom, my teachers, and all their colleagues as San Dieguito Faculty Association president – working harder than ever to assure they are supported and heard, so they can focus on doing what they do for kids. That’s the Duncan Brown I know. And I thank him. So should everyone else. He deserves civility and respect from board members and the community.
Julia Herold,
SDA, Class of 2019
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