Letters to the Editor 10-30-14

Raising the age
Editor: I really want to thank our city council members for their vote to raise the purchase age to 21 for tobacco products. They will save lives!
Now we are working on some educational plans for the local schools, as together, combining education with the ordinance, we will lower the teen smoking rate considerably in our town. That is what we want to do!
Dave Anderson
Healdsburg
Supporting Meinken
Editor: We are pleased to offer our endorsement and support for Tim Meinken for Healdsburg City Council. Tim would bring to the council that right blend of intelligence, experience and fresh ideas to move the City forward in a positive and productive way. While others talk about knowing the important issues facing Healdsburg, Tim has firsthand knowledge about them because he is the only candidate that has taken the time to attend nearly every city council meeting in the past two and a half years. He also has run a business in town since 2002, educated his children here, and immersed himself in this community.
We believe Tim will provide leadership and common sense decision making that are important tools needed to serve on the Council. We believe that most Healdsburg residents are not anti-housing, anti-business, or anti-government; but rather pro-Healdsburg. Tim’s positive vision of our city will guide the way he conducts himself in serving all of us. He knows it sometimes takes courage to stand and speak up, but he believes all of us should have a voice in the important issues facing our city.
Tim Meinken is the right choice for Healdsburg. We hope you will join us in voting Tim for City Council!
Bob and Trish Durler
Healdsburg
Supporting Civian
Editor: This year’s field of candidates for Healdsburg City Council is probably our most well rounded group of candidates in decades.  I believe it would be hard for anyone to make a bad choice from this group. Each is extremely qualified in their own right and will make great council members in their own way.   
With that said, I thought I would write everyone a note about one candidate in particular, Jeff Civian, and speak to my personal experiences with him. I hope to provide insight into why I think he would be a good candidate for City Council.
I have worked for many years side by side with Jeff as a volunteer for Healdsburg Little League. His dedication as a Head Umpire has been extremely important over the many years that he has worked with the youth and parents in town. Jeff is a well qualified umpire whose style incorporates a level of coaching and teaching while simultaneously controlling the game.  
What sets him apart is his ability to educate and coach simultaneously while dealing with emotional situations. Jeff is able to manage a situation and make a call. And when needed, he explains it in a rational way for everyone to understand, his way of dealing with 8-14 year old players in this role is to be admired.  
We need more people like Jeff Civian to volunteer for local government. One who will offer clear concise answers based on a well thought out, educated approach.
Good Luck Jeff.
Richard & Tami Norgrove
Owners, Bear Republic Brewing Co.
Purchasing tobacco
Editor: Congratulations and thank you Healdsburg City Council. Let the under 21 smokers go to Windsor or Geyserville (or, further away) to purchase their tobacco.
Mike Fairchild
Healdsburg
Character matters
Editor: I’ve known Deb Fudge a long time … probably 20 years. We worked together as Council members representing our respective communities. I’ve always liked her, and I respect her for being a hard working Councilmember trying to do the best for her community. That respect has faded considerably as a result of the terribly nasty and distorted campaign mailers that have demeaned her opponent Jimmy Gore. I really had expected more from Deb … she should know better than to allow that kind of trash to taint her campaign efforts. I really had expected her to ‘be above’ that type of negative-style campaigning. Sonoma County voters deserve better.
Jimmy Gore has run a straight-forward campaign wherein he has detailed his accomplishments working for the Obama administration, and has laid forth his vision for the future of Sonoma County. No negative baloney…just a blueprint for fiscal responsibility, support for agriculture, pension reform, road repair, and a very keen awareness of environmental sensibilities. There’s a reason why the city council majorities in Cloverdale, Healdsburg, Santa Rosa, and Windsor have all endorsed Jimmy. They all need to work together with a 4th District Supervisor they know they can trust. Those Councilmembers realize that this is a critical time for the future of Sonoma County, and that we need a Supervisor who is not beholden to special interest groups, but who will do their best to represent the general public. There is something very telling about the fact that candidate Deb Fudge cannot even get majority support from her own Windsor Town Council.
Character matters. Compare the mailers from both camps. Do you favor candidate Deb Fudge whose campaign is defined by nasty negative slurs, or do you favor candidate Jimmy Gore whose campaign has provided a clear and positive vision for the future of Sonoma County?
Kent Mitchell
Former Healdsburg City Councilman
HPOA supports Mansell
Editor: The Healdsburg Police Officers’ Association is made up of your local police officers, dispatchers and civilian support staff. We have had the opportunity to sit down and talk with Healdsburg City Council Candidate Brigette Mansell. She is a middle class woman who is supportive of public safety and who will be a voice for local hard working residents. She is very approachable, open and honest. She will be a great liaison between local government and the community it serves. We support Brigette Mansell in her candidacy for Healdsburg City Council.
Luis Rodriguez
President, HPOA
Voting for Fudge
Editor: I am concerned: Flashy signs everywhere, mailers galore, a disturbing trail of questionable activities by James Gore prior to landing in Sonoma county a year ago. Mr. Gore is very much the unknown, possibly murky, candidate. Meanwhile, Debora Fudge competently runs a campaign based on the many positive things she has done for our area. She is a definite known quantity.
I will vote for a proven candidate who I am certain will do a very good job for our district. I am voting for Deb Fudge.
Walt Maack, MD
Healdsburg
Do your homework now
Editor: Selecting the best candidates from a field of many is always challenging.  All candidates for public office should be commended for their willingness to seek what is often a thankless job in service to their community. That said, we all have a civic obligation to do our own homework to research the credentials of those seeking office. Prior to entering the voting booth on Election Day, we should have our selections in hand based upon our individual research conclusions.
Relevant prior experience in both the private and public sector, demonstrated fiscal responsibility, a knowledge of the critical needs of their community and a willingness to devote the many hours necessary to effectively serve in a demanding and frequently thankless job are key factors that I consider when determining which candidates will win my vote for public office.
With those factors in mind, my selections for our open Healdsburg City Council seats are Eric Ziedrich and Jeff Civian. For our Sonoma County Supervisor I have selected James Gore.
You are urged to do your own homework now and then to vote accordingly on Nov. 4.   
Mel Amato
Healdsburg
Supporting Gore
Editor: As we approach election day, I am enthusiastically supporting James Gore for Fourth District Supervisor.  He is a dedicated and thoughtful man who has a deep love of this region. He is interested in new ideas and proposals for how we can negotiate the difficult issues that face us: such as water shortage, agricultural diversity, road improvements, and housing. He will and does  listen to all points of view. He is dynamic, smart, open-minded, approachable and indefatigable.  
Please join me in voting for James Gore on November 4.
Barbara Médaille
Healdsburg
Maintain respect
Editor: I was dismayed to see the smear Gore campaign attributed to Deb Fudge. She disavowed and deplored the campaign from the first mailer, and I think that should be respected.
Both she and Gore have run clean campaigns, and they agree on most issues. It seems to come down to, she’s a committed local, and he has experience nationally. I would hope folks would make up their minds on that, and not let that ugly campaign smear either one of them, either by believing the hyperbole, or by believing Fudge responsible or approving.
A back-lash either way would not be fair.
Mary Johnson
Healdsburg
Questioning
Editor: Since moving to Healdsburg, I have always enjoyed Rollie Atkinson’s column and almost always agreed with his point of view. His recent column, however, has left me questioning if he has done his homework.
So I have a few questions.
1) Why do you equate (No on P) with anti-vaccination, science deniers and anti-evolution groups? There is not a person among us who believes in those outrageous ideas.
2) Where, where, where are the safety studies for sodium fluoride in the water? There are none. You need to look at this. The burden of proof rests with the chemical companies promoting the use of sodium fluoride. This is a minimum to ask.
3) I agree that sometimes decisions are best left to the experts. But in this case the chemical companies who sell sodium fluoride fund the experts. Isn’ t that a bit like asking the fox to watch the henhouse?
4) Are you aware that Europe has removed almost all of the fluoride from their water on the advice of a Nobel Prize winning scientist, as have New Zealand, Australia and Israel? I think I go with the Nobel Prize expert.
5) And please, please, look at this website- FluorideFreeHBG.org. The quality of information there is excellent.
Barbara Wentzel
Healdsburg
Choosing a Supervisor
Editor: A year ago, Deb Fudge and I were competitors for the same position. But, really, we were competitors in name only. As local elected officials, we shared a mutual respect for each other’s accomplishments. I have endorsed Deb in the Supervisor race, and I’m happy to tell you why I made that decision.
We have a clear choice in this election: Deb is a candidate who has a proven track record of accomplishments in Sonoma County, who has a proven record of fiscal responsibility, and who has not been afraid to take a stand on issues and fight for what she believes in. She is a leader, not a follower.
In November, we will make a choice: will we choose a Supervisor who has no local experience, has never made a decision in a public forum, and whose campaign has received thousands of dollars in contributions from out-of-county or out-of-state PACs? Or will we choose a Supervisor who understands that everyone in this c! ounty, not just the politically connected or the extremely wealthy, are entitled to fair and honest representation?
We need someone in this seat who will be able to hit the ground running, someone who can address the crucial issues facing Sonoma County today — issues such as availability of water, how to allocate taxpayer dollars sensibly and effectively, how to best deal with transportation issues, and how to provide access to quality health care for our citizens.
To paraphrase Teddy Roosevelt: The credit belongs not to the critic, but to the man (or woman) in the arena, who strives valiantly in a worthy cause.
We need a leader who can represent all of us, not the select few. We need a leader, not a cheerleader. Please join me in supporting Deb Fudge on November 4 for Supervisor.
Pete Foppiano,
former Mayor of Healdsburg
Time for fresh voices
Editor: We past elected mayors and members of the Windsor Town Council will vote for James Gore for County Supervisor, 4th District. Together, we include all of the formerly serving council members who still reside and vote in Windsor. We join the majority of all the current elected city council members in our 4th Supervisorial District, including our own, in this endorsement.
It is time for fresh voices in local government. Having seen first-hand the crucial importance of a local government’s relationships with state and federal agencies, we know that Gore’s experience on the federal level adds a dimension of knowledge that will benefit the entire county. We like his having served in the Peace Corps and studied internationally, his fluency in Spanish and Italian and the choice that he made to return here with his wife to raise a family. Relatively young, Gore is a mature and responsible person, able to connect with the diverse stakeholders in our district. His advanced degrees in business and agriculture further set him apart as highly qualified to understand the tremendous range of issues that a Supervisor must deal with. We note that many local agricultural families, having known James all his life, have posted signs on their properties to show their support.    
We appreciate Gore’s diligence and care, and we admire his commitment to serving.  We urge fellow voters of our 4th District to elect James Gore.
Julie Adamson Galvez
Maureen McDaniel Merrill,
Warin Parker, Marjorie Smith
Windsor
Proud of the community
Editor: I’m a Healdsburg resident and a volunteer for No on Measure P.
For weeks I’ve been walking our beautiful neighborhoods with a group of volunteers to get a sense of how people feel about the issue of fluoridation and to share our perspective when appropriate. We’ve talked with people who like water fluoridation, and want things to remain the same. We’ve also talked with people who passionately want to end it, who feel it’s not right for fluoride to be added to our water. But most astounding to me is how many Healdsburg residents, who are as yet undecided about the issue, have thanked us for the work we’re doing and have made it a point to encourage us in our door-to-door campaign. I think this is truly remarkable and a testament to the democratic spirit of the people who live here.
I’m proud to be a part of this grassroots effort. I’m inspired by the volunteers, and by all the people who support choice. And I’m grateful for the kindness of “strangers,” the many people that I’ve only just met, whose encouragement has made this experience so rewarding. Your No vote on Measure P is a vote for choice and a vote for clean water.
Julie Kennedy
Healdsburg
Supporting Civian
Editor: I am happy to endorse Jeff Civian for Healdsburg City Council.
Jeff loves Healdsburg and all it offers to residents and tourists alike, and he understands the need to balance the interests of each of these groups. Jeff’s community involvement illustrates his interest in our youth, our parks  and our infrastructure.
Jeff has the knowledge and experience needed to be an active and productive member of our City Council. I hope you will join me in voting for Jeff Civian for Healdsburg City Council.
Mary Lou Eddinger
Healdsburg
Minimizing risks
Editor: My wife and I grew up in Healdsburg and consider Healdsburg our home town. We left after Junior College to live where my profession as a Civil Engineer took me. We have recently returned to retire in Healdsburg.
Respectfully, based on my 45 year career as a Civil Engineer managing sixty to one-hundred civil engineering projects, I recommend that the City not proceed with the construction of the roundabout/Healdsburg Avenue project that is currently under design.
I believe the risk that the project will be a disaster due to CEQA and/or permitting delays and cost over-runs outweighs the benefits. In today’s world, due diligence does not prevent delays and costly overruns. There are many examples, some local.
If the city decides to go ahead with the project in spite of my recommendation, there are steps that should be taken to minimize the risks.
1. The city should not combine the Healdsburg Avenue improvements in the same project with the roundabout. The city will benefit more from the roundabout than the Healdsburg Avenue improvements, and the Healdsburg Avenue portion of the project contains elements that are more likely to be challenged — improvements to Foss Creek. Furthermore, the Healdsburg Avenue improvements are more likely to be challenged by those who are opposed to the land developments east of Healdsburg Avenue that are appurtenant to the improvements.
2. The CEQA and permit aspects of the project should be thoroughly investigated by Healdsburg’s legal counsel and by a firm specializing in these subjects. The city should not proceed with any part of the project until each provides a written report affirming that all reasonable steps have been taken to minimize permitting and CEQA problems.
Cullen Wilder
Healdsburg
Supporting Mansell
Editor: As a working-class woman living in an ever-increasingly fancy-pants town, Brigette Mansell gets my vote for Healdsburg City Council. We don’t need any more “business men” at the city council table. We need a composition of mixed interests and varied backgrounds. Healdsburg is a wonderful small city. It is not, nor should it ever be, regarded as a “business.”
I’ve read all of the repetitive letters to the editor that declare business experience to be the most important qualification. I think intelligence, open-mindedness and a genuine interest in the welfare of all of Healdsburg’s citizens, the wealthy and not-so-wealthy, are the paramount skills needed. What is a city council if not a reflection of its residents? It shouldn’t be a position for only rich white dudes!
Brigette is a highly regarded public high school teacher. Every day her job is to engage and educate 100-plus teenagers. You bet she can wrap her big brain around the challenges of our little old city. She’s got new ideas and energy. Brigette listens. Our working class neighborhood has already given her an earful: we want more police and firefighters on duty, thriving public schools, libraries, engagement with seniors and more reaching out to all our citizens, including our hardworking Latino population. We want to make it possible for young people to live here too.
A small-town city council should represent all of us. We need to balance the old-school cronyism on the city council, the planning commission, and the chamber of commerce with some new faces and new ideas, putting townspeople over the profits of a select few. We should encourage more working class, middle-income residents like Brigette Mansell to participate. We need more public-opinion surveys. More people should learn how to read building plans and serve on the planning commission. While we still have something to preserve, we should be thinking about some historic preservation. The chamber of commerce needs to represent more than just the tourism industry. Our citizens proudly own some of the wonderful, under-marketed small businesses. If our chamber of commerce feels so endangered that it must now, for the first time, endorse its favored candidates, then it must also immediately stop using my tax dollars to do so.
Martha Sherratt
Healdsburg resident