Central Library

Proponents of the "City Hall in the Park" initiative in Newport Beach have a major financial advantage over opponents at this early stage of the potential ballot box battle, according to financial reports filed with the city Tuesday. Reports showed John Croul, who owns the Cannery Restaurant property, contributed $78,223 to the City Hall in the Park measure spearheaded by architect Bill Ficker. If supporters gather enough signatures by Aug. 29, residents in February will vote on whether city hall should be on a park site next to the central library.

The current initiative petition regarding "A city hall within the park" is being circulated throughout Newport Beach for several significant reasons. The most obvious and compelling reason is four of the existing City Council members refused to acknowledge the requests of hundreds of residents beseeching them to delay the so-called passive park plan until a study by staff or outside consultants could be done to determine the concept of building a new city hall on less than three acres of the 12.8-acre site adjacent to the Central Library.

I wonder if Tom Moulson represents very many of the Newport Center Park-only supporters in that he has apparently chosen to take the low road in this contest to determine whether or not locating the city hall in the park should be on the ballot, giving voters the choice ("Mailbag," June 20). In debating the issue, it doesn't seem like a good beginning to question the integrity of the city hall in the park proponents by charging "gross deception." Moulson apparently doesn't understand our city government and the checks and balances we have in place.

NEWPORT BEACH — The on-again, off-again plans for a park on 12 acres next to the city's central library are on again, though they'll proceed slowly, the City Council decided Tuesday. Whether this vote will be final, however, remains to be seen. The council chose, in a 4-3 vote, to create a new concept plan for the passive park — called Newport Center Park — but not to go ahead with construction documents or bidding the work. Mayor Steve Rosansky and council members Leslie Daigle, Nancy Gardner and Don Webb voted to draw up new preliminary plans.

The American Library Assn.'s National Library Week starts this week, so we can't think of a better time than now to encourage the community to find a way to help the Costa Mesa Library Foundation raise the necessary $15 million the city needs to hang on to land promised for a new 50,000-square-foot central library. Foundation officials have informed us that they've got a long way to go to reach that goal. So far, the foundation has collected about $100,000, and ultimately it will cost about $50 million to build the new library.

From April 15-21, the Newport Beach Public Library joins libraries throughout the country in celebrating National Library Week. The weeklong festivities at your local libraries include author appearances, a young people's poetry workshop, children's programs and celebrity story-times featuring Newport Beach City Council members. For a complete schedule of events, visit our website at www.newportbeachlibrary.org . Here's a preview of the upcoming library activities and some suggested reading.

NEWPORT BEACH — City Council members voted late Tuesday to put plans for Newport Center Park on hold, saying they want to avoid any appearance of a conflict of interest. The park plans now go back to the parks and recreation commission for review, and the commission will report to the council within two months. To view the video of last night's meeting click here: The council rescinded its Feb. 27 decision to begin building the 12-acre passive park, after learning last week parks commissioner Debra Allen — who participated in planning the park — could have a conflict of interest.

To some, the site for Newport Center Park looks like an empty lot. To Debra Allen, it's a future oasis of green, with paths for leisurely ambles and shaded benches for an alfresco lunch or some quiet reading. The Newport Beach City Council will decide Tuesday whether Allen's vision will be realized. The council will vote on whether to move forward with the 12-acre park on Avocado Avenue next to the main library or to delay a decision until a city hall site is found. The land was dedicated as a park in a 1992 agreement in which the Irvine Co. donated the parcel in exchange for some entitlements to build commercial space.