SMart has much to be thankful for this year:
We are thankful for the courage of all who face death to protect their fellow humans from the demented; whether on the fields of Ukraine or in the Q Club of Colorado Springs. Their bravery is irreplaceable and priceless.
Less dangerous but significant we thank all the citizens (and their spouses) willing to run for office citywide and nationwide to make our nation a better nation. We are particularly thankful that, over all, the election deniers were not able to damage our democracy and that voting as an institution in spite of harassment, of gerrymandering, and of voter suppression, has survived one of its greatest challenges in decades.
We are thankful that Lana Negrete survived the outrageous arrows of a vicious campaign to be elected to the City Council.
We are thankful for all the hardworking volunteers that comprise our Council, Boards, Commissions and Neighborhood Organizations. They devote countless hours to improve the quality of our City bringing their perspectives, experience and abilities to bear on the innumerable problems our cash starved City faces everyday. Individually and collectively they deserve our thanks.
We are thankful that Santa Monicans continue to buy photovoltaic collectors, electric cars, and electric bikes which will form the backbone of our future energy infrastructure.
We are thankful that the new Tesla mass charging station on Santa Monica Boulevard is up and running as is the new SWIP (Sustainable Water Infrastructure Project). That sewage/stormwater treatment plant, cleverly hidden under the Civic Center parking lot, will purify and recycle this otherwise wasted water adding about 9% to our imported and well water supplies. These additions likewise become a permanent part of our future energy and water sustainability.
We are thankful our City has survived another year without the resilience challenges of virus resurgence, tsunamis, sea level rise, earthquakes, forest fires, food and water import shortages.
We are thankful that our students are back at school full time and that many school districts nationwide have given their teachers well deserved raises.
We are thankful that tourists are coming back to Santa Monica helping the Covid recovery of our traumatized businesses and hotels.
We are thankful that, challenges and all, our City is still beautiful, and for all those who work hard to keep it so.
Finally we are thankful for our loyal readers. They put up with our rants, wonky expositions and critiques hopefully to better understand our City’s functioning and how to make it even better. I’m sure you can add to this partial list of gratitudes and we encourage you to do so when reflecting about this last year.
Have a great Thanksgiving!
By S.M.a.r.t Santa Monica Architects for a Responsible Tomorrow
Thane Roberts, Architect, Robert H. Taylor AIA, Ron Goldman FAIA, Architect, Dan Jansenson, Architect & Building and Fire-Life Safety Commission, Samuel Tolkin Architect & Planning Commissioner, Mario Fonda-Bonardi AIA & Planning Commissioner, Marc Verville M.B.A, CPA (Inactive), Michael Jolly, AIR-CRE.
For previous articles see www.santamonicaarch.wordpress.com/writing
