Letter from Bob Bisno

I am going to print the letter to the editor Bob Bisno sent into San Pedro Magazine, which appears in the March, 2007 edition.

An opponent of Mr. Bisno's plans to build 2,300 homes at Ponte Vista had his letter printed in the February 2007 edition of the magazine and a particularly offensive word was used in the letter and printed in the magazine.

Mr. Bisno has called folks like me "ranting elitists" in a column he wrote for a More San Pedro
edition a while back, but I don't feel it was as offensive as the word used in the last issue of
San Pedro Magazine. In fact, after Saturday, February 24, "ranting elitist" may be seen as a badge of honor, or button of honor, if you get my drift.

Name calling seems to be done on all sides of the Ponte Vista debate. I do feel that there is a bridge folks should not cross in order to reveal their true feelings about the subjects. In my opinion Barry Hildebrand crossed that bridge and the editor of San Pedro Magazine assisted him in that crossing.

Mr. Bisno and I talk openly and freely and we both know where each of us stand on the issues. Someone else would have to have their head in the sand to not know both of our positions on the Ponte Vista at San Pedro project. I am not here to defend any one's reasoning for working for Mr. Bisno's organization, but everyone who wishes to work should be able to find employment that doesn't infringe on their dignity, and they certainly don't deserve to be called words like Mr. Hildebrand used and the editor published.

Here is the letter from Mr. Bob Bisno.

Whether you support or oppose my plans to build Ponte Visat on the northwest side of town, all I ask is that you play civilly. Good people can - and will - disagree.

Actually, I have been impressed with the tone and mood at meetings so far. Most community members who disagree with our proposal for 2,300 homes have listened to our presentations thoughtfully, without heckling. I was downright impressed by the friendly -almost - jovial atmosphere at the last Ponte Vista Community Advisory Committee meeting on January 18. With almost 400 people packed into the room, it could have easily turned into a shouting match. But everyone was professional and courteous.

So you can imagine my surprise upon opening the February issue of San Pedro Magazine, only to find a letter to the editor accusing me of making "whores out of a few formerly good people by hiring them away from their former employers" to promote my "sick" plan.

Since when is it OK to use the word whore in a widely circulated media publication, especially when referring to women? I take that personally! So do the women involved.

The women who make up my Ponte Vista staff have too much integrity, too many personal connections and too much to lose to sell out to a slick developer that goes against their beliefs.

How could anyone lob such an insult at Irene Mendoza?

I can't think of anyone with a better reputation in this town. Irene has worked tirelessly for decades for civic causes - first at Wilmington Industrial Paint, where she coordinated the philanthropic efforts of company owner Walter Kemmerer; then as deputy for Councilman Rudy Svorinch Jr. and Councilwoman Janice Hahn. Republican or Democrat - none of that matters to Irene, whose passion for the community far outweighed her interest in politics.

Without her guidance and help, I doubt that the Vincent Thomas Bridge would be lit today or that the Fisherman's Memorial would be standing. Ask the families she helped when their home flooded or when their children died in accidents. Ask the folks restoring the Warner Grand Theater. Irene was there for them.

All of their married life, Irene and here husband, Ephraim, have lived on Third Street, a stone's throw from her husband's childhood home and the bell tower at Holy Trinity. That's the parish that schooled their three grown children and where they still worship today. Like many of their friends, Irene and Ephraim would like to downsize without leaving town. They like the freedom of jetting off to see their Jersey boy grandsons or hitting the road in their RV without worrying who's going to water the lawn. They've already signed and interest card for one of Ponte Vista's senior units.

And then there's Elise Swanson, my vice president of public affairs - an amazing woman who brings years of development experience and skills to the table. Like Irene, Elise is a former deputy to Councilwoman Hahn. Although you'd never hear her brag about it, I know for a fact that Elise deserves much of the credit for the current renaissance going on in downtown San Pedro. As the councilwoman's development deputy, she worked tirelessly to attract the right mix of developers and projects that will soon transform the long-blighted area into a vibrant commercial and residential district. With her development background, Elise has a lot of academic reasons for liking Ponte Vista. She likes the fact that it's urban infill as opposed to suburban sprawl. She likes the fact that the project will finally provide funding to fix Western Avenue gridlock.

On a personal level, Elise likes Ponte Vista because it offers the security, affordability and amenities she wants and needs as a single mother who is about to send her second child off to college.

Rochelle Gonzalez, my director of Community Relations, also deserves only the highest of praise. A former Harbor area deputy to Mayor Jim Hahn, Rochelle is one of the most poised and dignified young women I have ever met. Born and raised in San Pedro and a lifelong parishioner at Holy Trinity, she is eagerly awaiting the return of her fiance, who is serving our country in Iraq. Ponte Vista offers them the opportunity to purchase their first home in the community they love. Rochelle is also looking to attend law school and I personally believe she will be an asset to any school she attends.

Kristin Anderson, my office and facilities manager, is a resident of San Pedro. She came to the project because of her love of working with the community. Kristin's mother was a member of the Fisherman's Memorial Committee and one of the people responsible for preserving the history of the fishing industry in San Pedro.

Again, I hope we can keep the discussion on a higher level as the process continues for Ponte Vista. I believe in hiring the very best team for every project I undertake. I only hire people, men or women, who believe in me as much as I believe in them. If you have concerns about my project, let's talk. But let's leave the insults and personal jabs to the talk radio hosts and late-night comedians.

Bob Bisno
Ponte Vista at San Pedro.