Editor,
I was recently in attendance at a memorial service for a truly great man. His son was speaking to all of us about his father. Though the man was known worldwide, the son was telling everyone how he had searched high and low for something negative regarding his dad. His search turned up nothing. This man was truly universally loved.
Seeing all the support “The Ranch” has generated since appellant Mark Fudge derailed their train of restoration, I think it’s safe to say it won’t take too much searching to find negative opinions about the appellant. If you count the thousands of petition signatures and the hundreds of supporters at the Newport Beach hearings last week, I think it’s safe to say Mr. Fudge is a very negative trending subject anywhere you look.
“Ne’er-do-well’s” like the appellant always seem to gather a few crazies to march in goose step with them, and Fudge does have a couple of these, but not many. The followers that have jumped on his bandwagon are the same people that always oppose anything that comes up; usually for no other reason than to just oppose something.
We live in an amazing place. I, like most people lucky enough to call Laguna home, thank my lucky stars every day for that privilege. Our “1 Voice” policies that keep in check what people can and can’t do with their property really helps keep Laguna unique. Nothing is perfect however, and neither is our “1 Voice” system. It seems the same voices are always the on the dissenting side of any change in town, and often attempt to stop a lot of things that the vast majority of Laguna is very supportive of. Maybe in the future these “squeaky wheel” voices get to be heard a couple of times and then they are out of chances to be greased.
Having watched Fudge week-after-week question and oppose just about everything that now comes before the city including a safety/aesthetics enhancing underground utility district in South Laguna and even challenging the permitting process of our traditional Christmas tree lot. He just sits up there on that hill trying to disrupt and dictate how everybody around him is going to live. Kinda reminds me of a great old Beatles song.
Andy Schoembs, Laguna Beach
