LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

New Year’s thanks
Editor: A big thank you to all who came out and celebrated the
New Year at the Sebastopol Community Center. It was truly a magical
night with five bands, a drum circle and our midnight peace prayers
and songs. At the stroke of midnight, we moved from loud drumming
to an intentional silence that lasted more than three minutes. That
is quite a feat for more than 250 people in a room full of excited
energy, but the power of the peace intention brought everyone into
the unitive energy of the moment and gave us all a beautiful
gift.
Thanks to all the musicians that shared their talents with us,
including: Kate Price and Shaeffer Lane, The Sweet Penny Royals,
the Moonbeams, the Love Rustlers, Hoytus and One Heart, Kim
Atkinson and Drummunity, Onye Onyemaechi, Sahar and the loving Love
Choir. The music you bring feeds us all with sacred energy. And a
special thanks to Frank Hayhurst, who brought in that magical New
Year’s moment with his blessed prayers and intentions.
Peace, love and joy to our community in the coming year.
Sebastopol is Peacetown, USA and we need to continue to come
together and celebrate the abundance of talent and love we have
here in this beautiful place we call home.
Jim Corbett
Sebastopol
Citizen oversight
Editor: The West Sonoma County Union High School District placed
a $23.8 million facilities improvement bond measure, Measure I, on
the Nov. 2, 2010 ballot. Measure I needed 55 percent of the vote to
pass, and was approved by more than 65 percent of the voters. State
law requires the school district to create a Citizens’ Bond
Oversight Committee to help provide accountability for the manner
in which the bond funds are spent. The District School Board is
seeking candidates to serve on the Citizen’s Bond Oversight
Committee, and will appoint committee members at an up-coming
public meeting.
The Citizens’ Bond Oversight Committee must consist of at least
seven members, five of whom must meet the following criteria: one
member must be an active member of the business community; one
member shall be active in a senior citizens’ organization; one
member shall be active in a bona fide taxpayers’ organization; one
member shall be the parent or guardian of a child enrolled in the
district and active in a parent-teacher organization. No employee
or officer of the District may serve on the Committee, nor may any
vendor, contractor or consultant of the District serve on the
Committee.
The Citizens’ Bond Oversight Committee will operate under
by-laws adopted by the District School Board. The Committee will
meet at least annually to review and report on the proper
expenditure of taxpayers’ money for school construction. The
Committee will advise the school board and public as to whether the
revenues from bonds approved through Measure I are expended only
for proper purposes, and that no funds are used for any teacher or
administrative salaries or other school operating expenses.
The West Sonoma County Union High School District is seeking
candidates to fill the required Committee membership. Candidate
applications are available at the school district office and on the
District website. Applications will be accepted through Monday,
Jan. 17, 2011. The School Board intends to appoint the Citizens’
Board Oversight Committee at the school board meeting on Wednesday,
Feb. 9 at approximately 7 p.m. at the Analy High School
library.
Applications or inquiries for further information may be
directed to Keller McDonald, Superintendent; West Sonoma County
Union High School District; 462 Johnson Street, Sebastopol, CA
95472, or by phone at 824-6412.
Keller McDonald
WSCUHSD Superintendent