Perspectives on Casa Pacifica Issue

What planet is Supervisor Frank Schillo living on?

He says that “the county of Ventura is not a partner with Casa Pacifica.” Yet Casa Pacifica’s private donors raise half a million dollars a year to help the county care for its abused and neglected children. Before it even had a name, Casa Pacifica’s volunteers raised $5 million to construct the facility for the county!

Supervisor Schillo also says if Casa Pacifica’s volunteer board of directors turn the facility over to the public sector, the county of Ventura would just find another “contractor.”

Does Supervisor Schillo think there are five more nonprofit organizations waiting in the wings for the “chance” to raise half a million dollars a year for the county?

If the Casa Pacifica board of directors and its 400 volunteers and fund-raisers do in fact turn over the facility to the county, I wish Supervisor Schillo good luck in trying to find another group of private citizens (i.e. unpaid contractors) to replace them.

Unless, of course, his real goal is to bring in a private company that will make money off of Ventura County’s neglected kids.

Is that what he means by contractor?

DOUGLAS F. MCRAE

Oxnard

* The Casa Pacifica situation is way out of control. Depending on which newspaper you read, one of two images is conveyed: 1. A horrible dungeon with Tiny Tim shackled to the wall screaming for mercy, or 2. An effort by hard-working, devoted and honest people to help some children get through what will surely be the most difficult time in their life.

Let’s keep a few things in perspective: These children are going through very rough times and they will act out their frustrations and fears in what we must call a completely unacceptable manner. They must be adequately supervised, while we remain cognizant that nothing can ever be 100% guaranteed.

Next, the county contracted with Casa Pacifica in the first place because they couldn’t handle these children themselves.

Let us ask ourselves a few questions: Aside from the well-publicized and tragic altercation, what is the overall magnitude of these other vaguely mentioned violations? Does the county really believe it has the ability to source a new group to run the facility, or possibly even run it themselves? Does the county realize if they start running it themselves, a huge chunk of the facility’s funding will immediately evaporate? Most importantly, what are the underlying motives of the players in this performance?

My company is a vendor to Casa Pacifica, yet my opinions in this situation are in no way business-related. If you’ve never been to Casa Pacifica, you owe it to your fellow residents to arrange a tour. From there, go visit the vestiges of the county’s facilities and then form your own opinion.

J. E. FOLEY

Moorpark