Letters to the Editor 11-14-13

A change in tradition
Editor: Sotoyome Post 111, The American Legion, has been serving veterans of the Geyserville, Healdsburg and Windsor communities since 1920.
This year we conducted two ceremonies on Veterans Day. The first was at 10 a.m. at the Memorial on the Plaza in Healdsburg. We laid two wreaths to honor the sons of Healdsburg who were lost since World War I.  These young men gave their lives in service to the United States of America and we will never forget them.  
The second ceremony was at the Admiral Bud Sparks Pavilion on the Town Green in Windsor. Yes, this is a change in tradition and it came about for a couple of reasons.
First we are trying to reach the veterans living in Windsor. Currently we mail 180 newsletters to members who live in Healdsburg and 90 to members living in Windsor. Windsor has approximately twice the population of Healdsburg and we should have twice the membership as Healdsburg.  Please note that this is not a scientific analysis, but a realization that we are under servicing the veterans living in Windsor.  
Secondly, we wanted to thank Windsor for their strong support of Veterans. The Windsor Hometown Heroes Banner Program is just one example of their proactive recognition of the veterans among them.
There is another reason. When we applied for a permit for the ceremony in Windsor the application was only two pages and there was no fee.  
There are changes coming and we welcome them.  The RFPs for management of the Villa Chanticleer are being reviewed and the contract should be awarded soon.   
On Wednesday, Nov. 6, the Rotary Club of Healdsburg and the Sotoyome American Legion Family hosted their 3rd annual breakfast honoring the Veterans of Geyserville, Healdsburg and Windsor and we filled the Villa Annex for the first time.  
The post is launching a campaign to bring the Hometown Heroes Banner Program to Healdsburg and will be working with the city to honor the young men and women currently serving on active duty.  
We are asking the City of Healdsburg to reevaluate if a fee is really necessary to hold ceremony in the Plaza to recognize our brothers, sons, fathers, uncles and friends who paid for the privilege with their blood and their lives.
Tom Grimes
Commander, Sotoyome Post 111,
The American Legion
Veterans Day salute
Editor: I learned yesterday, Veterans Day, that our local VFW could not do their customary 21 gun salute  on OUR plaza, because they had not paid the city a permit fee of $200 or so. First, the city should not be charging our veterans a fee at all. Second, if a fee is to be charged in coming years, I will promise that my Rotary Club will pay that fee.
David Anderson, MD
President of the noon Rotary Club
The hotel debate
Editor: I returned again from another extended absence (I help care for my mother) to my home in Healdsburg, which I’ve owned since 1999. I always find changes in this lovely little Burg but now I am becoming very alarmed that the town is becoming transformed into a totally different place. Money has moved in, as it seems to do in all the lovely places. Now the quaint family oriented, down to earth little town is full of too many wine- tasting bars, fancy hotels and real estate offices.
I guess it’s assumed that if we don’t like it we can sell and move, everybody makes money and Healdsburg turns into a Wine Country Disneyland.
Our City leadership is supposed to represent the citizens not go down the same road of so many other governing bodies when money is flashed in front of them, in they go into the pockets of big money and corporations.
Instead of the City having to deal with the ongoing temptation to turn over Healdsburg to big money every time they come into town wanting to build their big hotels downtown, why don’t they put a law on the books forbidding any more building of big hotels in the downtown area?
Why not make the local homeowners who have been operating vacation rentals within the city limits, who have been suddenly closed down, legal? Limit their number, collect taxes from them, regulate them and enforce the regulations. If there are too many complaints about one, close them down, not everyone.  Fifty vacation rentals have been arbitrarily closed down. Many of them dependent on the income to be able to continue living in Healdsburg due to the rising cost of utilities and standard of living (everything goes up when a town becomes a tourist mecca). It has been suggested to me that I rent my house out by the month, which is impossible for me because I need to come and go often, or sell.
Legalizing those 50 vacation rentals would bring in a hotel’s worth of taxes without all the downtown problems a hotel would create and also offers tourist a more affordable and “homey” experience when coming to Healdsburg.
If there are any other home owners who have had their vacation rentals shut down by the City please call me at 799-3558.
Andrea Chevalier
Healdsburg
Proposed hotel
Editor: The idea of another hotel in downtown Healdsburg is ridiculous. As if we residents don’t have problem enough finding parking. What is happening to small town Healdsburg? Are tourists more important than residents who pay taxes and support the local business on a regular basis?  
Please, let us have a referendum or an initiative. This will give residents the chance for their voice to be heard.
Robert and Patricia Ferrand
Healdsburg
A plaza parking garage
Editor: It has come to my attention that the City of Healdsburg is considering measures to prohibit hotel developers in Healdsburg from utilizing City space for parking. Developers in the future may be forced to provide parking for customers and employees on their own premises. This is quite unworkable and is likely to put a stop to the lucrative wine country hotel business in town.
Now I suppose this is due to the lack of parking space currently available in Healdsburg, the latest wave of development having used up all the space for the traffic they generate. Fair enough, but has Healdsburg really done all it can to promote the lucrative, tax-paying development of our town for the benefit of all who matter? I say, not nearly. Why do we allow the whole center of our town to be trampled on by freeloaders and even demonstrators?  
The Plaza, valuable downtown open space, is being occupied for free. The City can raise a great deal of money by turning the Plaza into a multi-level parking garage. Thus, there would be enough parking to accommodate the new hotels we need. Just imagine the revenue this would generate! The only question is, should the city run the parking garage or sell it to a private garage operator?  
Everyone knows that government can’t do anything right, so of course they should sell it. I hope locals will sign a petition for an initiative to get government out, clean up our town and turn the Plaza into a parking garage for our tax-paying tourists.
Lillian Reid
Healdsburg
Youth soccer
Editor: Hats off, hands clapping and a huge thanks to Allan Finnie and the staff of Healdsburg Parks & Recreation for making youth soccer a reality this year. When the Healdsburg Youth Soccer League folded, Parks & Rec stepped up and made soccer happen this fall. In a very short window of time, they arranged teams, volunteer coaches, coordinated field and game times…plus a hundred other organizational details we don’t even know about. You made a lot of families very happy to be able to stay and play here in town. Thanks also to all the parent coaches who volunteered their time. It was a great season.
Sheila Gallagher
Healdsburg
Fall festival thanks
Editor: The Healdsburg FFA Ag Boosters held their 6th Annual Fall Festival at the Alexander Valley Hall on Saturday, Nov. 9.
It was a beautiful fall evening and we thank everyone who attended.  Our evening consisted of a no host bar, appetizers, catered dinner, dessert and a live and silent auction.  Thank you to all our volunteers and students who helped make the evening a great success.  
Thank you to our new Ag teacher Ms. Wesley Hunt for joining our program and investing time in the future of agricultural students. With your help we can keep the Agricultural program alive and strong at Healdsburg High School.
We acknowledge that we live in a very supportive community and we are thankful you help us support so many programs throughout the year. All proceeds from this event go to the FFA students for their education, field trips, conventions, scholarships, community involvement, and many other activities they attend.
Thank you to each and everyone who donated an auction item whether it be drinks for the event, items for the live auction, wine for the wine auction, or one of the many great items presented in our silent auction.  
Hope to see you at next year’s event!  
We welcome anyone who would like to join our Ag Booster group. We meet the first Monday of every month 5:30 p.m. in the Ag room at the high school; we’d love to see you there.
DeAnna Fincher
Healdsburg FFA Ag Boosters