Is It Time To Come Into The Light?

Coming out of the shadows and into the light may be more of a timing issue.

I am referring to wondering when and where both groups and individuals who support and oppose The Marymount Plan AND/OR the upcoming ballot measure will provide awareness of their positions on these matters.

We already know that Save Our Cities III (SOCIII) offers no opinion, at this time, on support of opposition to having on-campus housing at Marymount College via The Marymount Plan. But we do know that group strongly opposes passage of the initiative now approved for the November 2, ballot.

It is now in historical records that Concerned Citizens Coalition/Marymount Expansion (CCC/ME) has opposed any on-campus student housing being built on Marymount's Palos Verdes Drive East campus for ten years, at least.

The Rancho Palos Verdes City Council is unanimous in their approval of The Marymount College Facilities Expansion Project, without any on-campus student housing due to the fact that Marymount's own representatives pulled student on-campus housing from the Expansion Project's many items, long before the vote by the City Council.

That same body also is unanimous in their opposition to the passage of the ballot measure that would allow, if passed by voters, both on-campus housing for up to 250 college students and a new municipal law that would allow Marymount College to achieve a unique and special status that would grant representatives of ONLY Marymount College the right to have current codes and regulations superseded by new rights granted to Marymount College's representatives.

It may still be too early to know the positions of the many organizations, volunteer groups, large businesses, and other entities and their stands on support for on-campus student housing and/or a new municipal code that would have non-elected individuals be granted rights now only conveyed to our city's elected representatives who are charged with representing ALL residents of our city and not just up to 255 potentially new residents.

We now have some pretty good information that the Council of Homeowners Associations opposes The Marymount Plan. That group consists of many groups which come together and share common issues and concerns. If such a large group of homeowners associations oppose Marymount's quest for high-density housing in a low-density neighborhood, that should mean something to everyone, I suspect.

Naturally, individual homeowner associations having residents living more adjacent to the Marymount Campus are dramatically opposed to The Marymount Plan.

What is growing in intrigue is where to the members of the Board of Trustees of Marymount College personally stand on the issues.

It would be completely reasonable to expect that every member of that Board strongly supports having on-campus housing at the college, but sadly, we still haven't heard from the Board's Chairman and Vice-Chairman, in public, issuing strong support, that is, if they really do support.

It appears that all 'marketing' of The Marymount Plan and the Initiative coming from the Board of Trustees comes from Dr. Michael Brophy and Dr. Susan Soldoff. Both of them are more directly affiliated with campus activities and issues than many of the other members of the Board are.

We also haven't heard from the Sisters who are members of The Marymount College Board of Trustees. I have several good friends who are former nuns and they are never shy about offering their opinions on any matter they are asked about. I am sure the good Sisters who are also members of the Board of Trustees have strong opinions but we still haven't heard just about anything from them, in public at least.

There are political and social organizations on The Hill that might have opinions and I feel it would be helpful to know their positions on the very important matters revolving around Marymount College.

I haven't heard or read anything from many of these groups about their support or opposition to The Marymount College Facilities Expansion Project, now law in Rancho Palos Verdes.

Perhaps many groups are not willing to publicly offer their stand out of fear or for some other reason.

But maybe it is still to early in the calendar for most groups to come forward and offer their take on these matters.

Perhaps after the Labor Day weekend we will see a flurry of reports coming from the great assortment of groups, businesses, associations, and other entities and their take on The Marymount Plan, The Marymount College Facilities Expansion Project, and the Initiative.