LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

Palm Drive cares
Editor: This week at a local health club, a woman in my exercise
class asked me if Palm Drive Hospital was still a good place to go
for health care. As a nurse at Palm Drive, I was surprised to hear
her question. She had been reading about all the problems we have
been having in the administrative area of the hospital. She was
also concerned about all the layoffs that she had heard about. I
assured her that, as a nurse in the Medical-Surgical area of the
hospital, I found absolutely no change in the nursing care that we
were able to give our patients. She was delighted to know that she
could still get caring, competent health care at Palm Drive. She
suggested that I write a letter letting the general population know
that the care at Palm Drive Hospital has not been compromised due
to the internal problems.
As a long time RN at Palm Drive Hospital, I am happy to reassure
the public that the health care at Palm Drive is of the same high
quality you have been used to and that the health professionals
still offer the personal attention that you can get only get at a
small community hospital.
– Nancy Kesselring, RN, Sebastopol
A small bit of good news
Editor: With all the discouraging news about budget cuts for the
schools, I wish to share some positive news. Over the last few
years, as vice principal of Analy High School, I have enjoyed
working with the parent members of the Teen Counseling Project.
This small group has quietly and consistently fundraised and
supported the therapeutic counselors of our three west Sonoma
County high schools, brought in speakers for the health curriculum,
and advocated for new programs. Girls Circle groups is one of these
new programs that will be continuing this next 2009/10 school year
at Laguna and Analy High Schools for its second year. I am
delighted that these circles will continue, as they provide an
effective way to reach teen girls struggling with social isolation,
low self-esteem and challenging family situations. I am also very
pleased about the ongoing funding of an intern at Analy, whose
rapport with students has expanded our counseling services.
– Brenda Hoff, Laguna H.S. Principal
Stop the winery
Editor: To my Sonoma County Board of Supervisors:
Regarding the Best Family Investor’s proposed grape processing
facility in Sebastopol; I call upon you to vote no to the proposed
35,000 square foot grape processing facility being proposed along
the designated scenic corridor at the intersection of Hwy. 116 and
Occidental Road in Sebastopol. I live on Atkinson Road which also
borders the project. Despite the very strong objections of the
forty plus people who attended the planning commission meeting Aug.
6, the commission voted for everything the applicants asked for and
more.
I urge you as my elected representatives to halt this project.
It is certainly not compatible with the existing residential
neighborhood as evidenced by the unanimous opposition at the
hearing. If the project did fit, there would be no need to amend
the General Plan, rezone the parcel, throw out the set back
allowances, create special use permits, etc. etc. etc …
The county itself requires a minimum parcel of ten acres for the
new zoning request. The proposed site is only 7.6 acres. It has 75
percent of the minimum requirement. Back when I went to school that
was a D. I have no problem with the environmental wizardry being
proposed for the project. I can only stand in awe and applaud
toilets that cost $2,000 and flush with a teaspoon of foam but that
does not change the basic fact that the project does not fit on
this site and the neighborhood does not want it.
This project grants special and unprecedented privileges to a
small group of investors while ignoring the rights of the people
who live in the neighborhood and are complying with the existing
General Plan and the existing zoning laws. We are not asking the
county for any special favors. I only charge the county to follow
the existing General Plan, uphold the existing zoning laws and
respect the county’s own land designation for this area which is
rural residential. This project is a classic example of trying to
force a square peg through a round hole.
Please protect my rights. Protect the public’s rights. Vote
NO.
– Thomas Morabito, Sebastopol
Small pharma
Editor: I want to thank all past patients of mine that allowed
me to be their small town pharmacist. You are the greatest
clientele I have ever had in my career.
For over five years I worked as the pharmacist at Rite Aid in
Sebastopol. What started as a 2-year contract gradually became 70
to 80 hour weeks with a large increase in volume and profitability.
My staff and I achieved this despite a decrease in pharmacy
employees and steady harassment from middle management.
No matter how well we improved our sales and service, it was not
good enough to keep some of these people (who do not work in the
pharmacy) off our backs. Due to our national and local economic
hardships some patients needed some quite reasonable price breaks
so that they could afford their needed medications. I tried to help
each patient individually so that they could stay at Rite Aid until
with very little warning Rite Aid had a problem with my methods.
They also claimed that I was deficient in my “box-cutter”
training.
Patient care was never an issue and I miss all of you very much.
Call me with questions. I am in the phonebook.
– Mark Olson, RPh., Forestville
Mr. Music at 60
Editor: Dear Friends and Neighbors, I would like to invite you
to my 60th Birthday Party, Sunday, Sept. 13 at the Sebastopol
Community Center from 1 p.m. to 8 p.m. We will have a free music
festival featuring some of the best homegrown music in the area. I
have had the pleasure of teaching music to your children for the
past 20 years, and I invite all current and former students to be a
part of the Mr. Music singalong at 3 p.m. Come and help me raise
awareness and funds for more music in our schools and in our
beautiful community. I look forward to seeing you all on Sunday,
and thank you for your support.
Peace,
Jim Corbett, “Mr. Music”
Adopt Sebastopol
Editor: Take a look around Sebastopol and you will see some
signs that promote the Adopt-a-Landscape Program. Please take
notice of the medians and park areas that Adopt-a-Landscape
volunteers have planted with flowers and grasses to make our city
look its best. This city program offers the benefits of service to
the community, and seeing the results of that service for years to
come. It is not labor intensive. Landscaped areas require
care perhaps once a month, in some cases, even less time.
Recently the Kiwanis Club joined the other program volunteers
and adopted the west circles in The Town Plaza. Assisting in the
design and selections of plants requiring low water were Master
Gardener Cie Cary and Gail Thomas, owner of Pooh Corner Farm. Many
compliments have been received about the results. There were
worries about whether the flowers and plants would survive in such
a high traffic area, but after several months they are
flourishing.
On one recent morning, I was in the Plaza. Looking around I saw
mothers with their children, people having coffee and conversation,
music playing and lots of color from the flowers and rose bushes.
It was a place where people wanted to come to that morning, and
this is exactly what a town plaza should be.
The Adopt-a-Landscape Program is an important part of making our
city a beautiful place to be. We appreciate our current volunteers
for being a part of the program. Please consider joining in as an
individual or with your organization. Please contact the city at
823-3551 for information about available landscapes waiting to be
adopted.
– Kathleen Shaffer – Sebastopol City Council Member