Editor:

I would first like to thank Councilmen Brandon Richey for having the foresight to listen to what the residents of Brentwood have been saying for a long time, and that is to stop the out-of-control growth.

Mayor Taylor, Vice Mayor Stonebarger and Councilmen Becnel and Brockman all bowed down to special interests and not the will of the people again. I would like to think that every member of the Brentwood City Council heard the message from the sound defeating of Measure F last Tuesday and this has opened their eyes and ears to the message the people have been attempting to send for years.

Stop the out of control growth and listen to the people, not the special interest groups.

This is the second time in five years the voters have been given the opportunity to control what takes place with the urban limit line associated with this area of town and the message was even louder this time: No and stop the out-of-control growth. The hiring of Tom Koch has proven to be a costly experience for the landowners and developers. The misleading tactics that his leadership provided ended up causing more suspicion for the voters as to what was the real truth behind this measure in the first place and that closed the door on their program. It was clear from the start that this measure was being driven for one purpose – big money – and not to improve or keep our current quality of life within the City of Brentwood.

The big money ($279,000-plus) spent by the landowners and developers associated with Yes on Measure F has proven once again to be waste of time and money. With big supports like Lee Hancock, Sean McCauley, Brian Swisher, Dafne Swisher, Annette Beckstrand, Rick Lemyre/Brentwood Press, Supervisor Mary Piepho, LAFCO Commissioners Helen Allen and Rob Schroder, Mayor Bob Taylor, Vice Mayor Erick Stonebarger, City Councilmember Chris Becnel, City Councilmember Bob Brockman, the Brentwood Chamber of Commerce and many more past politicians that were involved with Brentwood government, has proven to be meaningless to the concerned residents of Brentwood.

The story line read: “Is it possible that all of these leaders could be wrong”? The answer to this question is very clear now: Yes, they are wrong! The people have spoken again.

Johnny Merrill, Brentwood