Letters to the Editor 12-13-12

Godspeed!
Editor: I would like to take this opportunity to sincerely thank Guy Wilson and Kathleen Shaffer for serving honorably on our city council. Kathleen Shaffer worked hard for the good of the community and contributed to the improvement of Sebastopol through her dedication.
Guy Wilson has always been a strong voice of reason and thoughtfulness on the council. His parting quote, (“There needs to be some coming together going forward.”) is a representation of his reasonability and a call to all citizens to stop the personal attacks.
Congratulations to Robert Jacob and John Eder, two good men whose task is to join with the other three dedicated council people to do what they think is best for the City of Sebastopol.
The way representative government works is that we elect individuals and then they get to decide what they think is best for the city. I have every confidence that these councilmembers will follow their hearts when making decisions for our town. Godspeed!
There is a shift in consciousness taking place on our planet from conflict and competition to kindness and cooperation. Let all citizens of Peacetown ‘lay down their swords and shields’ and begin co-creating the town we want to live in, rather than reacting negatively to what we don’t want. I love you all.
Jim Corbett
Sebastopol
Family farm supporter
Editor: I attend the Santa Rosa Certified Farmers Market, the diversity of products produced here in Sonoma County I am able to get a variety of different fresh fruits, vegetables and meats. I thought going to the farmers market once a week and doing my shopping was a way of supporting local producers.
Then I had a conversation with a gentleman who handles the marketing to for a local organic supermarket, he informed me that not all farmers markets are local farmers and that many of the producers are actually from hundreds of miles away. He explained to me that one of the  mission’s of his store was to make sure that if possible they purchase food produced within 50 miles of their stores, making a lot of their foods more local than farmers markets. 
After hearing this information I was really confused about my weekly trip that I considered my small part in saving the planet.  I began doing research trying to figure out if my strong belief system surrounding farmers markets was now a wash. I found information about the American Farmer’s Market Program, the USDA’s Agricultural Marketing Service created this program to promote the economic success of America’s small farm operators.
Small farm operations are those with less than $250,000 in annual receipts who work and manage their own operations. An amazing 94 percent of all farms in America meeting that definition and AMS’s mission is to make sure that American “family farm” survives. Their effort is the AMS Farmers Markets program.
Farmers markets were put in place to support small farmers and allow them to connect directly with their consumers. So my conclusion is that farmers markets are still something to believe in. They support the small producers, and allow for consumers to get fresh mostly local foods.
Cynthia Hinde
SRJC student
On the spirited campaign
Editor: I certainly understand the long tradition of spirited campaigns and elected officials endorsing those they wish to see prevail. In the month since the election I have been asked several times why there were no public endorsements made by me for any of the five city council candidates. This was a decision I arrived at early in the campaign season, as early as last spring, and was rooted in my experience and personal understanding of the way the Sebastopol City Council, and all elected and appointed boards everywhere, operate.
The other four members of the city council are my co-workers and I prefer to have the best possible working relationship with all of them; my belief is that publically stumping for specific candidates by currently elected officials in the same body can create friction and disharmony once the election is over. It is important for us all to work in an atmosphere of mutual respect; where the efforts of all individuals are acknowledged and rewarded and, for me, the best way to achieve this end was to not pound the drum for any specific candidate or slate. The Sebastopol City Council’s energy is best spent in a spirit of cohesion and camaraderie and professional, polite interactions serve us all in the highest manner.
I would like to reiterate this was a decision I made for myself, others made an equally valid decision to approach the election differently; it is legal to support any candidate you wish in any way you wish to do it (as long as those methods are allowed by law). I simply felt an obligation to be true to my personal beliefs and mores and take a different tack.
I would also like to thank the voters of Sebastopol for approving Measure Y, the local sales tax measure. The passage of this important measure will allow the city to remain on solid financial ground and provide required and requested services to the residents of Sebastopol. It was a pleasure to walk our neighborhoods and meet with local residents to explain why the measure was so important. In order to not run afoul of the State’s Open Meeting Law I did not coordinate my efforts with the “Measure Y Team,” but I would like to thank Michael Kyes who authored the measure and Sarah Gurney for her support of the measure. This measure was put on the ballot by a unanimous vote of the city council and was passed by the voters with a wide margin, once again demonstrating Sebastopol’s generosity and integrity.
Patrick Slayter
Sebastopol City Council
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Keeping apples here
Editor: You know how the apple industry has seriously declined over the past several years? Our farm, Devoto Gardens (est. 1976), is doing everything we can in order to make apple farming profitable, and we’re doing a pretty good job. In addition to successfully growing and marketing 50-plus heirloom apple varieties, we’re planting more and more apple trees and varieties every year to satisfy our deeply-rooted passion for apples. We’re making delicious hard cider to help keep our land in apples. As the second generation of our apple farm, we have poured our heart and soul into Apple Sauced Cider, our cider company that uses only apples from our farm. We’re doing this in order to continue farming apples with the highest integrity — the way we have always farmed. We are apple growers first and cider makers second because the best ciders are made in the orchard.
Jolie Devoto
Gold Ridge