LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

Think of the church
EDITOR: I was not in attendance at the Sebastopol City Council
meeting that discussed “Car-Free Sundays,” but perhaps I should
have been. I wonder if any of the Council members considered the
impact on local churches of such a promotion. Considering that a
majority of the folks who attend Sunday worship at our church live
beyond walking or biking distance, I almost feel like I am
violating my civic duty by encouraging them to come to church! I
also find it interesting that the Council is encouraging 1,000
people to attend the local farmer’s market on the designated
Sundays. I assume it’s all right if some of them choose to stop off
at church first. I realize that churches may not add much to the
city’s economic base, but we do have a rather longstanding interest
in Sunday mornings. And when you consider how generously local
churches support Habitat for Humanity, the Interchurch Food Pantry,
12-step and other community groups, and how we continue to provide
showers, bus tickets, food and housing vouchers for the homeless
and others, it would seem that we do deserve at least a little
consideration when public policy impacts Sunday.
Rev. Gene Nelson
The Community Church of Sebastopol
Beware rate increase
Editor: Guerneville residents beware! Your average water bill is
about to shoot from $70.52 to $149.08 per month. California Water
Co. is in the process of raising our water rates by 86.3 percent.
Worse yet, the proposed increase is targeted to fund the
construction and yearly maintenance of a treatment plant for a
small isolated system in Santa Rosa. No improvements are planned
for the Guerneville area. How can this be? Cal Water has deceived
us by erroneously listing the increase as 16 percent (the reality
is over 86 percent) in its “Public Notice” for the hearing, and
making no mention whatsoever of the funds going to Santa Rosa.
Please help stop this criminal abuse of a community that cannot be
gouged this deeply and unfairly for years to come. E-mail your
objections to pu************@cp**.gov
or call (866) 849-8390. Reference the application A.09-07-001. Cal
Water needs to find another way to fund its facilities in Santa
Rosa.
Don Herold
Guerneville