For the race for East Bay Regional Park District director for Ward 5, incumbent Olivia Sanwong is seeking a second term. Her challenger, Bruce Henry, a retired businessman in Pleasanton, says the district needs more accountability.
The race is overshadowed by a lawsuit filed last year by the Livermore Area Recreation and Park District, which says East Bay Parks has misspent more than $100 million in shared property taxes and neglected the area in and around the Tri-Valley. Henry also notes the park district emphasized preservation at the expense of recreation, and cites a poor relationship with the previous general manager, who sued the district over her termination.
There’s not much that can be done about the lawsuits except to let them run their course. We disagree that there has been an overemphasis on open space preservation. It’s a complex issue that can’t be solved with a soundbite. Oftentimes, it’s a narrow needle to thread to preserve open space and more passive uses, such as trails, against the desires of those who’d seek to create more active forms of recreation, such as campsites and ballfields, which might degrade the environment or change the character of the Tri-Valle...