LETTERS TO THE EDITOR – 11-10-11

Global Student Embassy
Editor: On Saturday night the youth leadership program Global
Student Embassy (GSE) held its 4th annual benefit dinner and silent
auction. Thanks to the 260 community members and local businesses
who made the event a great success, GSE will be able to expand
programs to connect more youth around the world in hands-on
community service.
GSE’s emphasis on environmental and agricultural projects has
evolved in response to ideas voiced by student participants in the
U.S., Tanzania, Nicaragua, and Ecuador. Volunteerism,
collaboration, and responsibility towards these ongoing leadership
projects are inspiring signs that the next generation has the
vision and passion to create more sustainable communities.
This year, GSE will continue to mentor these young leaders in their
work on school gardens and environmental restoration within their
own communities and during our exchange programs in January, March,
and April.
To get involved or learn more, please visit our website at
www.globalstudentembassy.org and join us at 3 p.m. on Wednesdays
for garden volunteer days at the Village Park Community Garden on
Highway 12.
Lucas Oshun
Executive Director
Global Student Embassy
Light ‘em up
Editor: This holiday season the trees on Main Street will be
decorated with led lights, thanks to many community members. Time
was short to make this project happen, and funding was needed to
buy the lights. This letter is a thank you to the people,
businesses and organizations who contributed to the holiday lights
project.
They are:
The Sebastopol Kiwanis Club; 5th District Supervisor Efren
Carrillo; Tombe Realty; Rotary Club of Sebastopol Sunrise; Richard
Polheber of Palm Drive Hospital; Mary Grul of Dressers; Jim
Coconas, Ron Basso; Sebastopol United Methodist Church; Kathy and
Pat Deeton; Darlene Hawley; Beth and John Moise; Mark Swedlund and
Deb Dobish; Robert Green; Cultivate; Dave White; West County Cycle
Service; Paradise Rugs; Silk Moon; Randy Coffman; Luke Oshun of
GSE; Sprint Copy; Yvette Van Aggelin Williams; Ian Kalember; Lars
Langberg; Cory Bush; Robert Porter; Tess and Gene Ostopowicz of
GTO’s; Larry McLaughlin; David Abbott; Deborah Shemesh; Main Street
Tavern; Terry Kelly; Art & Soul; Holy Cow Coffee; PG&E for
free electricity; Sebastopol Hardware for affordable lights; Funk
& Flash; Sebastopol Independent Charter School and The Basso
Building for letting us use their power outlets, and to the City
Public Works Department for hanging the lights on the trees.
Happy Holidays and enjoy the lights as you shop downtown.
Kathleen Shaffer
Sebastopol Councilmember
Terrible idea
Editor: The following letter was sent to Sebastopol City Council
regarding the proposed CVS/Chase development:
To all concerned with the planning and future of Sebastopol:
My feeling is and always has been that this is a terrible idea.
Here are the reasons that I deplore this decision, which is being
pushed through without regard to common sense:
1. Traffic – it will be backed up past Palm Drive Hospital, and in
both directions on Rt. 12.
2. Utter disregard for the unique and quirky character of
Sebastopol. Think arts, and cute ice cream stores, and record shops
– things people value in a place to visit – I didn’t see CVS
featured in the recent New York Times article about our town.
3. Pushy corporation buying out Longs, and then elbowing its way to
the busiest intersection in our town.
4. Moving the urban blight up the hill – there are currently two
empty stores next to the current location of CVS – exactly who is
going to be the cornerstone tenant in this already struggling
mall?
I could go on, but this should be plenty to give you pause in terms
of pursuing this poorly conceived urban planning decision.
Short-term budget challenges should not be solved by selling out
the character of the town you have been elected to represent.
Rob Catterton
Sebastopol
Twisted logic
Editor: Amid all the news regarding management changes and repeal
efforts (“SMART in midst of legal back-and-forth with repeal
effort,” Nov. 3) an important piece of information has gone rather
unnoticed. That is that the project may be delayed another one or
two years because of the time required to obtain permits.
With less than three years to go before the planned 2014 start-up,
they are now adding two years. How could this not have been known?
One on the first items of business on a project is to determine the
permits required, who will issue them, what is needed to obtain
them and a timetable for accomplishing this. Why is this
information just coming out now?
They also had the gall to say that the delay would save money since
they wouldn’t lose the money by not operating that they would if
they were operating.
By this twisted logic we could save a fortune by not operating at
all. Oops! That’s what the repeal advocated are saying.
Will this train ever leave the station?
David Little
Sebastopol
Thanks to the Odds
Editor: The Mills family wishes to express their thanks to the Odd
Fellows Lodge for sponsoring a 2nd and 3rd Bennefit dinner in honor
of Tommy Mills. The family also wishes to thank everyone who gave
of their time, money and labor, in preparing Tommy’s home for his
return. With sincere gratitude, the Mills.
Joanne Ludwig
Santa Rosa