Letters to the Editor 2-19-15

What is the rush?
Editor:
This last week has brought several news articles about the sudden water improvement in Cloverdale. Water improvement tied to an ambitious and obvious building program. Yet in the same paper we read: “A succession of December storms filled North Coast reservoirs to their highest level in months, but the most important gauge of California’s water storage is still stuck on drought.” What is the sudden rush to new building? It has only been a few months since the dire prediction of our water shortage. Wouldn’t it be safer to wait on additional building until we see what the rain for this year brings? In the article in the Press Democrat was this statement regarding Cloverdale’s water situation; “we’re still battling an aging infrastructure” Wouldn’t it be better to upgrade the aging infrastructure before embarking on an ambitious building program? I have not talked to one person in Cloverdale who favors building over upgrading our aging water infrastructure. Before embarking on additional building in Cloverdale, I recommend that the residents of this community be polled as to their concerns about our water. We are the ones who approved a major increase in our water rates. We are the ones who have lost our lawns. We are the ones who have cut back in water usage. We did this to save our community, not to endorse an ambitious building program at our expense.
Matthew Glavach
Downtown Cloverdale
Good Neighbor policy required
Editor:
I agree with Diane Bartleson’s letter that the noise from NorCal Skydiving operations is negatively impacting residents of a wide area surrounding and including Cloverdale. I also strongly agree with Ray Holley’s editorial suggestion that the solution to the noise pollution lies in cooperation: NorCal needs to try harder to solve the problem they are causing. I believe NorCal has a moral obligation to mitigate their aircraft noise. Civil society is based on the precept that we need to conduct both our personal and business lives in a manner that does not annoy, discomfort, or hinder our fellow citizens. NorCal’s planes routinely climb and descend at very steep angles, thus generating an excess of noise. Plus, one of their planes is equipped with a tri-blade propeller that creates more noise than a conventional prop. Those familiar with aviation basics know that much lower noise levels are achieved when planes fly at a shallower angle and are equipped with standard props. It is not too much to ask that NorCal fly conventional equipment, nor that they add a few more minutes to each round trip flight by flying with respect for those living below their sphere on influence. If that means transporting a few less jumpers per day, so be it. I suspect that people who want this kind of recreation would be willing to pay higher prices, if NorCal wants to keep their revenue constant. Certainly it is not up to the taxpaying citizens of Cloverdale and environs to subsidize NorCal’s bottom-line at the expense of our quality of life and property values! Come on NorCal: why not solve this problem by adopting a good neighbor policy? It’s the right thing to do.
Bill Wagy
Cloverdale