By Robert Zirgulis
After witnessing the swearing-in of the new School Board members last Tuesday, I congratulated them and wished them well. As an opposing candidate, I believe I had cordial and civil relationships with them during the campaign. I was invited to the United Parents of Culver City celebrations at Rush Street after the Board meeting by a member of the UPCC.
I thought that UPCC had run an effective, disciplined campaign. I was impressed at how dedicated and organized their group was in getting their “slate” elected. However, there was a minor blip in their celebrations. One of their members in a red shirt haughtily came up to me and asked me to leave the party. He boorishly offered to buy me a drink if I would leave. Evidently he did not think I should be at the party because I was not one of the winning candidates.
I want to thank Dr. Steve Levin, the leading votegetter last month, for assuring me that the boorish behavior of one of his members did not reflect on the hospitality of the UPCC. I like Dr. Levin and Sue Robins. They are upstanding, and they will be good School Board members. I also think Kathy Paspalis is dedicated and cares for our students even though we may disagree on some policy issues.
Meanwhile, I would like to bury the hatchet with former School Board members Steve Gourley and Scott Zeidman. I know they both dislike me for exchanges we have had at past School Board meetings. However, I do know that we all share a common interest in “fixing our school pool.”
Mr. Zeidman had asked Robert Smith, of Friends of the Culver City Natatorium, for information about what it would take to fix the Natatorium. Mr. Gourley had supported past efforts to fix the Natatorium. Personal differences should not get in the way of creating a better purpose, such as “fixing our school pool.”
Another tidbit: Alan Corlin, former mayor, who has disagreed with me on many issues, told me that in 2005, Nike had offered to pay for upkeep and maintenance of the Natatorium for 10 years in exchange for the Natatorium being called Nike and allowing the use of the pool for five weekends. The governing School Board at the time rejected the idea.
Why can't we get all these people to settle their differences and come together to get our Natatorium running after all these years?
Mr. Zirgulis may be contacted at zirgulisr@yahoo.com
