Recycling
EDITOR: I moved here over three years ago, and until a few months ago took all of my garbage and recycling to the dump myself (most of the way toward a couple of great wineries anyway). I sorted all of my recycling into glass, paper, cans etc. without much pain. Now I pay for pickup and do not sort. Since China doesn’t take our stuff anymore, would it help to sort even a little? Easy for each of us, maybe pick up could be at least two categories that make recycling more efficient. Also could local wineries agree on some common bottle sizes and shapes and reuse wine bottles?
Rose Mary Baltrusaitis
Healdsburg
Confident in commitment
EDITOR: I’d like to enthusiastically recommend Tim Meinken for Healdsburg City Council. Tim’s unwavering and courageous commitment to put the residents of Healdsburg first is what we need to find and maintain balance in our community.
I attended the city council candidate forum held last week, and was impressed with the thoughtfulness and depth that he demonstrated in his responses on all issues. His longstanding presence in our community, as one who has participated at city council, planning commission, HTID study sessions, tourism forum and SDAT, is evident in his positions and the experience he will bring to the council.
Two answers in particular shone for me: (1) calling upon the recommendation of the American Institute of Architects – Sustainable Design Assessment Team (SDAT) to empower our residents by encouraging them to participate in creation of a comprehensive master plan for the entire community, where all would have ownership of our future with respect to housing, development, parks, etc. (2) his response regarding the proposed Mill District development — that it should be transit-oriented, include more units for middle-income families, and integrate affordable housing into the overall housing plan. In both of those responses, he advocated “building neighborhoods, not subdivisions,” key to a sustainable and community-centric development.
For those who were not able to attend the forum, Tim is available at the farmers’ market and is out knocking on doors to meet the residents he will be putting first. I am confident in his commitment to represent us, and ability to support the right direction for our community.
Joan Berler
Healdsburg
Thanks to Gil
EDITOR: I enjoyed Gil Mansergh’s online article (Screenings) “Alfred Hitchcock’s Santa Rosa.”
I had no idea “Shadow of a Doubt” was screened at Courthouse Square. Sounds like great fun.
My family rented the 904 McDonald around in 1964. I was a 10-year-old kid when we moved out in 1971.
The garden plot now adjacent to 904 was a single property with the house. It had a large lawn, a wisteria arbor, and a barn (in the movie the garage where Theresa Wright was trapped inside).
Charlie’s (Theresa Wright’s) bedroom was eventually my parents room. It has the same wallpaper as the movie and the same window overlooking a magnolia tree, which grew to be very large by the time I lived there. It was cut down about five years ago.
Yes, the exterior back staircase near Charlie’s bedroom was not there. But we did have back staircase inside a wall that led to the dining room. I hope it’s still there. Not sure if it would pass modern building codes.
Hitchcock’s technique changed the way the interior was perceived. In a scene with two people conversing, one actor might be at 904, the other in a Hollywood sound stage. Yet in the movie, it appears as though they are facing each other. Amazing stuff.
Thank you again for the informative article.
Luke Walsh
Healdsburg
Quiet determination
EDITOR: I am voting for Evelyn Mitchell because it was her vision, fiscal acumen and quiet determination that led to the transformation of the stalled animal shelter building into a high functioning and thriving shelter for the animals of Healdsburg.
Evelyn will utilize her keen mind and business expertise to approach the broad range of challenging issues facing the Healdsburg City Council to the benefit of our great community.
Kathleen McCaffrey
Healdsburg
Important perspective
EDITOR: We support Rose McAllister for Healdsburg school board. As a parent of three young children, Rose provides an important perspective and has a vested interest in the policies set by the board. She brings more than just the voice of an active and interested parent, her professional experience working in government prepared her to be an effective leader and community partner.
Healdsburg Unified School District is a wonderful place, where we choose to educate our children, but it faces complex issues in the coming years. We must make our schools more equitable and cope with declining enrollment with foresight and critical thinking. The loss of our varsity football team was a stark reminder that the high school is getting smaller, and we must do everything we can to continue to have excellent programs for students with diverse interests.
These issues are complex and involve a variety of stakeholders. The board’s actions will have impacts for years to come. A parent whose children and their classmates will be attending the schools going forward has a unique voice in addressing these issues. We strongly believe that Rose has the experience, pragmatism and ability to collaborate widely that make her the right person to represent us on the school board. We encourage you to join us in voting for Rose.
Lisa Mazzoni and John Filben
Healdsburg
Voting for their positions
EDITOR: I am voting for Leah Gold and Tim Meinken for city council. Their positions on issues put the residents of Healdsburg first, and would help keep our small town character and quality of life for its residents and workers. They both support restricting any more hotels on the Plaza , and limiting hotels to no more than five rooms per hotel in the downtown district. Both would like to see further limits on citywide hotel growth.
They support Measure P, as well as wanting more middle income housing in the Mill District project, rather than the luxury homes that the Canadian developer is proposing that will encourage second home buyers. Each has serious concerns about the size and impacts of a 250-seat restaurant on the Plaza at the Copperfield’s location. The size should be much smaller in keeping with our general plan, preserving the uniqueness of our Plaza, as well as reducing the impacts of traffic, congestion, noise and parking.
We need city council members who will take a public and firm stand on developers who come to Healdsburg and wish to build huge housing and hotel and hospitality projects that are often not in keeping with our general plan guiding principles and our residents’ desires. The community survey in March 2018 clearly showed that 71 percent of residents felt hotel growth and development was too fast; 95 percent indicated a serious problem with a lack of housing that working families can afford.
I hope you will join with me in voting for Leah Gold and Tim Meinken for city council.
Bruce Abramson
Healdsburg
Importance of performing arts
EDITOR: I attended a question and answer session between the community of Healdsburg and those seeking a seat on the HUSD school board. I had intended to sit quietly next to my sister, but by the time I reached the high school, and as I drove through the parking lot, I had formulated a question and couldn’t wait to ask it. I wanted to know how those who intend to help educate the children of Healdsburg felt about the performing arts.
Because I referenced the high school, it seemed that most felt I was referring to the drama program I had the honor to work with for three decades. I was more interested in how those running for a position on the board felt about the performing arts K-12.
It was mentioned that at the high school we need to offer courses our students are interested in; it’s difficult for students to want to be in either drama or dance when they haven’t had any opportunities to perform until they reach high school.
However, when I think of past students who are now doctors, lawyers, civil engineers, journalists, university professors and first-grade teachers, serving in the military, computer programmers, designers, animators, biologists, owning and operating bakeries, dancers, and yes, even some actors, the one element they all had in common when they graduated from Healdsburg High School is they had the experience of moving an audience, hearing the roar of the crowd, and knowing that as a team almost any obstacle could be overcome.
I taught 50 drama classes; I taught 120 English classes … of course I know that being able to read and write, solve math problems, be physically fit, learn a vocational skill and be computer literate are imperative if our students are to succeed in their world; however, there is a aspect of a crowd quieting, a bank of lights hitting your face, and the fact that there aren’t any “time out, I need to start overs” when you’re on stage that is life-changing.
I’ve lost track of how many bonds this community has passed for its children; every single time a performance arts complex was put on the list. Regardless of whether or not a theater is built in the near future — after all, we staged dozens of shows in a gym — the performing arts should be part of our school’s curriculum starting at the earliest ages possible.
Brent Mortensen
Healdsburg
Prepared
EDITOR: I am supporting Mike Potmesil for Healdsburg school board. Mike has the educational, administrative and collaborative experience to recognize needs and devise and implement improvements in our school system.
My opinion is based on working with him when Mike and his wife, Debbie, developed and coordinated PSST’s high school program. I was chair of the PSST board and recruited them and was a PSST volunteer in the high school when Mike was coordinator.
PSST (Public School Success Team) is a nonprofit corporation created to increase the graduation rates in the Healdsburg public school system by enabling all students to reach their highest potential. It is not a school program, but operates in the schools, with the collaboration of HUSD, students and their families, and community volunteers.
Mike and Debbie developed a program to meet the needs of the PSST students as they entered ninth grade and then adjusted and built on the program over the next four years.
Mike worked with teachers, principals and counselors, as well as PSST students and their families, to identify ways to supplement the high school curriculum and guide students into college, trades, or whatever each student planned to do after high school. Mike drew on his 30 years of experience to do this.
Immersed in this process for four years, Mike learned what was working and what wasn’t in all the Healdsburg schools, elementary through junior high through high school. He knows how to identify what needs to be changed and how to collaborate to achieve beneficial changes. I believe he is prepared to be an active, informed and dedicated trustee from his first day on the Healdsburg school board.
Barbara Epstein
Healdsburg
Prune Pits launch wiffle ball club
EDITOR: Now that we have two successful softball seasons under our belt, the Prune Pits are starting a wiffle ball club for active adults over 60. The season will start Wednesday, Oct. 17, 4:30 to 6 p.m. at Fitch Mountain Elementary School, 520 Monte Vista Avenue, and will end Dec. 12.
For those of us who have been playing softball, wiffle ball helps keep our skills up. For those who are a little nervous about getting hit by a softball, wiffle ball is a wonderful alternative, because light weight plastic balls are used.
Don’t know how to play wiffle ball? Frank Bellagio will be our guide and coach. You can sign up by stopping by the Healdsburg Senior Center, 133 Matheson Street, complete the registration form and pay $5 for the season.
Gail Jonas
Healdsburg
Thoughtful approach
EDITOR: I am writing to endorse Evelyn Mitchell for Healdsburg City Council. Evelyn has worked hard to understand the issues important to our town and I trust her to make solid decisions that protect and enhance what we all love about Healdsburg. I’m impressed with her willingness and ability to work with everyone in these divisive times and truly appreciate the thoughtful way she approaches difficult topics. I urge you to connect with her about issues important to you and to support her on your ballot.
Jason Liles
Healdsburg
Involved and balanced
EDITOR: Election season is upon us and it has never been more evident how critical it is to get out and vote. Special interest groups that seem to focus on very narrow and unfortunately all-too-often extreme agendas have made our national, state and local houses look more like battlefields.
In the upcoming city council race, we have an opportunity to elect a candidate that is fair, thoughtful, involved and balanced in her approach. Evelyn Mitchell brings strong character and the requisite skill set necessary to oversee city hall and effectively represent all constituents.
Leah Gold, while not always consistent with my interests, has already proven herself an effective council member. I encourage everyone to support Evelyn and Leah for Healdsburg City Council in November.
Eric Ziedrich
Healdsburg
