Voting for Gold
EDITOR: What do we all love about Healdsburg? Most residents cherish our small town character and charm. Leah Gold, city council candidate, has had a 25-year history of working on our small town community issues, such as parks, land use, open space, housing and pension reform. When I first met Leah in 1992, she was a core member of the Giorgio Playground Committee that enthused volunteers to build a wonderful children’s park. In 1996,
I worked alongside Leah, who initiated the Urban Growth Boundary (UGB) movement in Healdsburg. This land planning initiative passed overwhelmingly at the ballot box. In my opinion, the UGB has been the single most important tool in preserving small town Healdsburg.
On open space, she initiated the efforts to get the open space district to buy and preserve the Fox Pond Area in Parkland Farms. This open space area has turned out to be a very popular walking and hiking area. While on city council from 2000 to 2004 she worked collaboratively with other council members to increase Healdsburg’s stock of affordable housing. In 2009 we worked together in lobbying city council to expand the affordable housing site in Saggio Hills from three acres to 14 acres. In 2012 she lobbied city council, along with other community leaders, seeking pension reform.
Going forward, Leah can draw on her experience, creativity and leadership to help resolve some of our more pressing issues. Some of these issues are downtown parking, affordable housing and balancing the needs of residents with tourism. Please join me and vote for Leah Gold for city council.
Bruce Abramson
Healdsburg
Healdsburg Homes Tour
EDITOR: Sunday, May 7, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. the Healdsburg Homes Tour will once again open the doors to six beautiful and charming homes in our community. Visitors will be able to explore a majestic neoclassical mansion with a stunning entrance and furniture and photographs spanning five generations. Renovators will love the 1870s Victorian mansion known for its dramatic makeover. Our oldest home, built in 1868, is a Victorian cottage with a charming garden. A Transitional style home from the early 20th century has been lovingly remodeled as it approaches its 100th birthday. Exciting contemporary homes include a hilltop home whose expansive windows capture fantastic Healdsburg views and a home and studio where the owners’ art brings additional light.
The generosity of our community results in an annual AAUW fundraiser which benefits local education. Each year the funds raised by the tour provide scholarships for re-entry women graduating from Santa Rosa Junior College to complete their college education, as well as girls graduating from Healdsburg and Cloverdale high schools. The tour also benefits the Healdsburg Education Foundation (HEF), the Public School Success Team (PSST), the education foundation in Cloverdale and provides a variety of other grants to community service programs. Healdsburg AAUW serves Cloverdale, Geyserville, Healdsburg and Windsor. For many years AAUW has sent eighth grade girls from each of these communities to Tech Trek Camp at Stanford University.
We want to thank the homeowners who spend time and effort preparing their homes for the tour. Local businesses and individuals have supported us through advertising, sponsorships, raffle prizes and services. The AAUW membership and tour committee have committed hundreds of hours of volunteer labor to ensure that the tour will be a great day for everyone involved.
The tour begins outside the Healdsburg Museum. Tickets can be purchased in advance for $35 at the museum, Levin & Company and Copperfield’s bookstores, or at www.healdsburg-ca.aauw.net. Same day ticket sales are $40 each outside the museum at Fitch and Matheson. Exploring six wonderful Healdsburg homes is a great way to support education in our community.
Kim Alexander and Carlene Reininga, co-chairs
AAUW Healdsburg Homes Tour
Plass most qualified
EDITOR: The voters of Healdsburg will soon cast ballots for one city council seat in the coming special election. It is critically important to elect a candidate that will work to keep Healdsburg a financially sound city and a thriving community. I endorse Gary Plass for this council seat. Gary is hands down the most qualified candidate in the race. Not only for his tenure in the position but the breadth of knowledge, experience and solid decision making skills he exhibits when complicated issues are presented at council meetings.
What you see at the meetings is only part of what he does to represent our interests. Gary does his homework, being totally versed on the background material provided to him prior to each meeting. He enjoys the interactions with the fellow Healdsburgers on their positions and then fairly weighs each position and actively participates in the discussions during the city council meetings. He is known at the federal, state and county levels as a competent, savvy and reliable representative of our city as he represents Healdsburg on several governing committees and boards. He is respected for his consensus building when strong opinions form, causing divisions with city residents.
Throughout his life he has been a true public servant, first as a Healdsburg police officer where he gained valuable experience interacting and protecting the citizens of our town and continued in that vein to serve as a city council member representing the best interests of the community. As a lifelong resident of Healdsburg, Gary has been committed to improving the quality of life for all of our residents and always has the best interests of the community at heart. He is needed now more than ever to guide and balance out the limited governance experience and limited first hand historical knowledge the newly elected council members have not yet gained. Please join me in voting for Gary Plass.
Mark Decker
Healdsburg
A vote for Whisney
EDITOR: With the election fast approaching to fill a seat on Healdsburg’s city council, I am writing in support of Erica Whisney. As an educator and behavior analyst, Erica has dedicated her life to taking a stand for autistic children to ensure they receive the support needed for being included in mainstream education or have the tools they need to function at their highest ability.
This type of dedication comes from the heart and I have personally seen Erica give the same level of heart to her run for city council. I have watched Erica prepare herself for being a city council member by serving last year on Healdsburg’s Community Housing Committee, interviewing former city council members for guidance and coaching, and talking to as many Healdsburg residents as she can to find out what their primary concerns are for our amazing city.
Because of her time on Healdsburg’s Community Housing Committee, Erica is the candidate with the most experience in housing policy. She will work to create more housing opportunities so working people and families can live in Healdsburg and retirees on fixed incomes can continue living in Healdsburg. Erica has shown me that she has the listening and problem solving skills required to be an effective and efficient city council member. On June 6, please join me in voting for Erica Whisney for Healdsburg City Council.
Gisela Babb
Healdsburg
Her heart is singing
EDITOR: My ears are still ringing (agreeably) and my heart is still singing after hearing the Healdsburg Chorus’ concert, “A Little Jazz, a Little Swing, a Little Love,” at the Raven on Saturday night. Led by director Jim Humphreys and accompanied by Susan Nelson, the singers zipped through a wonderfully chosen selection of songs in great arrangements. Soloists added special moments. They were all so good that it’s not fair to single anyone out, but I won’t forget Carol Noack crooning to Clooney, while a short dance by long-married couple Ken and Arlene Dalton brought tears to my eyes. The time, talent and love that went into this concert glowed from the stage and earned a standing ovation. Thank you, Jim, Susan and chorus members. Unforgettable — that’s what you were.
Nancy Roberts
Healdsburg
Editor’s Note: Healdsburg voters will choose a city councilmember in a June 6 special election. Look for our story next week profiling the four candidates and their positions on a variety of issues facing the community. Meanwhile, turn to page 6 for Taya Levine’s commentary on what she discovered when she researched the “job” of being a city councilmember.
