Letters to the Editor 12-6-12

Thank you K supporters
Editor: On behalf of the members of the “K for Kids — Yes on K” Committee, and the (approximately) 17,000 students who will be impacted by the passage of Measure K over the next eight years, we would like to express our sincere thanks to the residents living in the West Sonoma County Union High School District who supported and passed Measure K. The measure passed with a resounding 73.6 percent of the vote, a great result by all measures.
We reaffirm our commitment to ensure that your dollars will be used effectively to maintain and improve programs and services provided by your West County high schools. Your support of education during these very difficult times is very much appreciated.
Again, we thank you.
James S. (Jim) Walton, Ph.D.
Keller McDonald
Superintendent, WSCUHSD
Thanks to Y supporters
Editor: I extend my sincerest thanks to Sebastopol’s voters for passing Measure Y, the proposed increase to our sales tax rate.
With the results finally concluded, we see 71 percent of our citizens in favor — a remarkably high number for any community in this still-difficult economy, especially when only 50-plus percent was required. What confidence this vote indicates in our City governance, our City management, and our small town community. I understand this result to confirm that, even with our limited resources and our small size, we hope to out-perform every other city in Sonoma County.
Let me also thank Vice Mayor Michael Kyes for championing this issue. Individually, out of a Council sub-committee where his colleague, Councilmember Shaffer, disagreed, Vice Mayor Kyes courageously persisted and brought this revenue-generating idea forward. He wrote the argument in favor, coordinated the campaign, and answered questions, while I walked door-to-door to our voters.
I appreciate the welcome, hospitality, and friendship offered by so many voters as I canvassed our town. What a delight to see folks at their front doors and to chat in their living rooms. It was truly heartwarming to witness, over and over again, our love for our community and our strong sense of belonging to this special place.
Please accept my thanks and know how much I appreciate each of you.
Sarah Gurney
Sebastopol City Councilmember
Not so fast
Editor: Mr. Jacob and Mr. Eder, before you come riding in on your white horse to save the day, I would like to make a few suggestions if I could. As a resident living in the city limits of Sebastopol for the last 47 years, I believe we need to support and encourage new businesses to come to town. In doing so, we can collect more tax money and help support city infrastucture, such as roads, water and sewer mains and address items like traffic congestion. Also we need to support city services like police, fire and public works.
It’s not all about the CVS/Chase project. Do we really want a lawsuit that the taxpayers will have to pay for? I would agree that traffic is bad on Sebastopol Avenue, but hasn’t it always been? And wouldn’t it be, even if it was just a parking lot?
It is, however, about not screwing up what we as citizens have come to expect for and from our city and city leaders for the last 110 years.
I would also suggest that you may want to talk to and meet with a full range of citzens to address some of the other concerns of the residents.
As for Vice Mayor Kyes, Councilwoman Gurney and Helen Shane, you should be ashamed of the way you have treated and discredited Councilwoman Shaffer in her bid for re-election. I don’t think the citzens of Sebastopol will ever find a more motivated councilwoman ever again.
Doug Buonaccorsi
Sebastopol
Progressive leadership
Editor: I agree with Larry Robinson’s recent Guest Commentary (“Leadership,” Nov. 15) that a post election “winner take all approach” will not serve Sebastopol. Dialog, civility, and dedication are essential values shared by nearly everyone attracted to our extraordinary community.
But I feel that Mr. Robinson confuses civility with deference to power and the status quo. This election provided a very clear political choice to voters, between Councilmember Kathleen Shaffer and former Mayor Kathy Austin, who actively supported the CVS development and Robert Jacob and John Eder, who opposed it.
Fifty-six percent of voters supported Jacob and Eder and anti-development Colleen Fernald (2 percent), while only 44 percent voted for Shaffer and Austin. We, the people of Sebastopol, voted for change.
I especially disagree with Mr. Robinson’s assertion that Councilmember Sarah Gurney and Vice Mayor Michael Kyes engaged in the “most appalling mudslinging and character assassination that I have ever seen in a local election.”
Mr. Robinson conflates truth telling with mudslinging. In doing so, ironically, he slings mud at two dedicated Council leaders who exercised what I consider to be courageous truth telling.
Ms. Gurney and Mr. Kyes performed a service to our community when they went public with Councilmember Shaffer’s voting record, and actions, in her “under the radar” support of the CVS Development. This was especially important because, according to a number of my friends who spoke to Ms. Shaffer during her door-knocking campaign, Ms. Shaffer “ran from her record” and told people that she did not like the CVS Development either, but was forced, by law, to reluctantly vote for it.
As for drawing attention to the decision by a realtor PAC to donate money to both the Shaffer and Austin campaigns, this, too was a service to our community. It is important to publicize PAC donations from parties with large vested financial interest in our City government’s decisions.
I agree with Mr. Robinson that selecting a new city manager will be an important decision for the new City Council. But his complaint that “petty infighting” led to former City Manager Jack Griffin being “driven away” is another example of confusing deference to power with actual leadership. In my opinion, through (Griffin’s) actions and words, he objected to the pervasive green, progressive values that a majority of people support here in Sebastopol.
Deference to the powerful city staff of Sebastopol, in my view, is not council leadership, but an abrogation of the democratic duties of our elected officials.
Real leadership means pushing back, not rubber stamping power grabs by city staff who are paid to carry out, not make, the political decisions of our elected officials.
We, the people of Sebastopol, are going to have a majority progressive, green City Council that truly reflects our values. Now that’s leadership.
Jonathan Greenberg
Sebastopol