Letters to the Editor 6-18-15

Lowest bid
Editor: So, I just want to know if you took the lowest bid for the street renovation on Center Street between Powell Avenue and Sherman? You got your money’s worth, as it is worse than it was before. Why was this such an issue? People in Healdsburg really need to drive down this little, and I mean little, road between the streets … now bumpier than it was before. Nice job Healdsburg, on spending my tax dollars – not. I’m a disgusted citizen.
Joann Kron
Healdsburg
Kudos for coverage
Editor: Thank you, Greg Clementi, for your super articles on student/athletes at Healdsburg High School. Your writing certainly did justice to this group of talented young men and women.
Jane St. Claire
Healdsburg
Thanks for support
Editor: “It takes a village to raise a child” has been Healdsburg’s motto for many years. Farm to Pantry’s first fundraiser, “Summer Supper in the Vineyards,” proved that this village not only raises children, but also cares that everybody who lives here has access to nutritious food. Healdsburg residents and business owners from all walks of life donated time, expertise, support, and money to make Summer Supper successful. Chefs Dino Bugica of Diavola, Kyle Connaughton of Single Thread, and Miles Thompson of SHED along with Costeaux French Bakery made an exquisite, locally sourced dinner for 150 people. The farms who donated produce for the dinner were Home Farm, Brix, Ritual, Russian River, Preston, Bernier, and Mix. Medlock Ames generously gifted us with the venue on Route 128. Mark Goff of Goffengel Workshop designed the posters and program. Richard Bugarske constructed the web pages for the event. Over 50 local businesses donated gift certificates for mystery bags. Eleven fantastic live auction packages were put together, thanks to our local chefs, wineries, restaurants, homeowners, hotels and floral designers. The amazing Susan Graf was our very successful and engaging auctioneer who got the crowd raising their paddles. If that were not enough, Susan also personally orchestrated the purchase of a new Nissan van for Farm to Pantry through private donors prior to the event and eager bidders at the event. She brought us Healdsburg Shared Ministries and Furth Family Foundation as new sponsors. Thank you Susan. It’s been a heartwarming experience to be a part of Farm to Panty’s first fundraiser. With much gratitude, we give thanks to the many people who supported Summer Supper and Farm to Pantry. Thank you everybody.
Sonja Erickson and Nikki Tracy
Event Co-Chairs
Healdsburg
Cerri thoughts
Editor: I have heard there are a series of divergent plans for what the city should do with the Cerri Building. Since I wrote an article for the Tribune in 2009 hoping the building might be saved and not demolished, I have been asked to contribute my thoughts. First, some history. It was built for the Cerri and Magenti Grocery by Healdsburg Machinery Company in 1922, so it is approaching 100 years old. In 1930, it became the Rosenberg Fruit Packing Plant; prunes were dried and shipped from this plant. Overlapping these dates was Prohibition (1920-1933), and during at least part of those years, sugar was delivered to this building “and made into alcohol by the Dry Creek Valley moonshiners.” I am quoting the Healdsburg Museum here, so it must be true. Del Monte ran the plant for its local prune business from about 1962 to about 1990, when it became Purity Chemical Products. This building has certainly been part of Healdsburg history; the words that stand out to me above are “prunes” and “moonshiners.” So let’s keep it as much as possible as it was in 1922 and 2015. The plans that appeal to me most are simple ones, where the sides are opened to some extent, the farmers’ market occupies it for two days per week, and ramps are added, allowing the building to be used for parking of about 30 cars when not being used for other events. We could certainly use 30 more parking places in Healdsburg.
Dave Anderson
Healdsburg
Thoughtful work
Editor: I’m writing in response to the editorials concerning marijuana legalization. I’m a member of Gavin Newsom’s Blue Ribbon Commission that has been looking at various issues concerning the potential legalization of the recreational use of marijuana for adults. I’m a member of the Youth Education and Prevention Committee, and the sole pediatrician on the commission. The other two committees are Public Safety and Regulatory and Tax Structure. I think the commission has engaged in a lot of thoughtful work on these issues. This website has lots of good information: www.safeandsmartpolicy.org
Seth Ammerman
San Francisco and Healdsburg
Renters squeezed
Editor: Today I received a letter in the mail stating that my rent would be raised from $850 to $1,400 in the next two months. The owners I rent from are local, as is the property management company. I didn’t know it was legal to raise someone’s rent by 65 percent in two months. So, I called Sonoma County Fair Housing and Legal Aid to see if it was a legal increase. I was informed that increases such as these are legal with a 60-day notice in Healdsburg. The rents can continue to be raised at will, with no cap. Oy vey! I have been a resident of Healdsburg for 15 years, worked as a teacher in Healdsburg public and private schools, volunteer at the Chamber of Commerce, the Raven Theater, the City of Healdsburg ad hoc committee, volunteer actively with local hospitals and stroke prevention programs, do public speaking engagements, work and volunteer in numerous capacities in Healdsburg. I am so grateful and happy to be an active member of the Healdsburg community. I am now permanently disabled and a low-income resident. My drastic rental increase is not possible to cover with my current income. I am now on a Sonoma County low income housing program after being on the waiting list for five years. Over the last 10 years, my receipts for improvements to the property are over $4,000. I love my rental and take care of it well. The letter from the property manager also stated that they will not be renewing my lease on a yearly basis, but instead will only offer a month-to-month. I think I can see the writing on the wall. I realize I had very low rent for Healdsburg, but I am a very responsible long-term tenant. Not naive, I know I am not the only one this is affecting. Local families with low to middle incomes, the backbone of our community, are being driven out. I have heard of a low-income housing complex on March Avenue where low-income families are being evicted in the double digits. How is our community going to deal with this? Has the discussion on rent control really started? Are we including low income residents in the conversation? I have been to meetings about how to help Healdsburg meet an approximate 30 percent low income housing need, with only an 8 percent availabiilty. It’s not going to be easy. The working people of Healdsburg can’t come to three-hour meetings on a school night to express their concerns and be part of the conversation. Of the 60 people in attendance at a recent meeting, maybe a couple of us were low-income, or maybe I was the only one. Can we do something about this? My hope would be that we can can come up with fair solutions that embrace low to middle income residents before we are all forced to abandon a community that we love.
Christine Webster
Healdsburg