Save $30,000, appoint Plass
EDITOR: The Healdsburg City Council has taken a great first step in resolving the vacancy created by the early resignation of council member Eric Ziedrich by appointing former council member Gary Plass to that position. However, the appointment is only temporary and will require a special election in June, the cost of which may well be $30,000. Gary Plass was appointed because he is a 12-year veteran of the council, is well regarded as a member of the community, and because he came in fourth in the November election, separated from the next highest candidate by a mere 20 votes. The responsible thing for the council to do is make the appointment good for the entire unexpired portion of Ziedrich’s term, thereby saving the citizens of Healdsburg tens of thousands of dollars. There will be those who oppose such an appointment and urge that a special election should be held on the grounds that “the decision should be taken to the people.” However, the November election was open to one and all, male and female, people of every color and political persuasion. Six people ran for the three seats up for election, including Gary Plass. It was taken to the people, they spoke and Plass came in fourth. Now we need a fourth person to fill a seat. Let’s save $30,000 and go with the already expressed will of the people.
Peggy Decker
Healdsburg
Hoping to adapt
EDITOR: I didn’t like hearing about it, and I didn’t like seeing it. So l have to agree with Ranae Perry. I like the old newspaper format better. After living in Healdsburg for 19 years and taking the Trib for almost that long I am sad to see the old paper go. I have loved reading, and holding, the Trib all these years and I’ll miss it. Call it what you will. Change, progress, adapting to the times, etc. I’m a hard copy kind of gal. Thank you for all the good years. I looked forward to receiving my paper every week. I sure hope I can adapt to the changing times as my paper has. And as for Mark Vellutini, all I can say is: Ray Holley and Main Street are a big reason I like and read our small town paper. He is a gem. I have laughed, smirked, smiled, wept and rolled my eyes after reading his column. I may not always agree with Ray but I wouldn’t miss reading Main Street. I particularly enjoy his sign off.
Carin Case
Healdsburg
We already gave him a
chance by electing him
EDITOR: In last week’s letters my friend Michael Miller exhorts us to fall in line and vote for Democrats, no matter who they are nor what they promote, because the politics of our president-elect are so abhorrent. Like Miller I’m horrified at the meaning of the past election but I have to disagree with some of his conclusions. He has a good point with his statement that we must “support … candidates who can win even if we don’t support everything they do.” As he points out, all our presidents have had flaws. Like Miller, I supported Bernie Sanders and he has plenty of flaws. The problem with Ms. Clinton is she has too many flaws – that’s why she didn’t win. If Miller wants us to support a Democrat for president, instead of working to coerce our vote he should work to make sure we have a better candidate. My vote isn’t the one that made the difference – it’s the millions of people across the country who voted for Trump or didn’t vote for Clinton. We voted in our own perceived interests. Clinton doesn’t represent our interests. She’s a millionaire. She has promoted her fealty to Wall Street and advertised her admiration for Henry Kissinger and Madeleine Albright and she supports wars. The Democratic Party used illegal and unethical tactics to make sure that she, rather than Sanders would be their candidate (and that third parties wouldn’t even have a voice). I suggest rather than putting our efforts into resisting Trump’s every action and supporting Democrats no matter what, we should work to make sure the Democratic or any other party gives us a candidate who represents our interests over that of the one percent.
Mike Rosen
Healdsburg
Thanks for support
EDITOR: I want to thank the community of Healdsburg for the support that has been given to me through the many years I have had the honor to serve them. My journey started on the police department in 1976 and on the city council in 2004. During these years, I have had the opportunity to work with such a giving and caring community, and live and raise my family among them. I am humbled by the continued show of support by the community and the city council and thank them for appointing me to serve once again as a representative of this wonderful town.
Gary W. Plass
Healdsburg
