Letters to the Editor 3-12-15

Not Windsor’s Hospital
Editor: According to the census bureau, the percentage of home ownership is 60.1 percent. This means that potentially 40 percent of the people voting to raise your property tax are not affected. This just seems to me to be un-american. When the last of the Healdsburg Hospital tax assessment was proposed I wrote to the Press Democrat and alerted the people of Windsor that Sutter was coming to their back door. I think every small town deserves to have a hospital, but economic realities on the tremendous cost of operating one makes it impractical. If the residents of Healdsburg want to support HGH with the casino and the wealthy vintners, more power to them, but exclude me. Please support the movement to remove Windsor from the Healdsburg hospital district.
Jim Mcaleer
Windsor
Thank you just doesn’t say it all
Editor: I am delighted that Healdsburg Nursery has recently been sold to Prickett’s Nursery and will continue to remain a retail nursery. I trust the community will continue to support the good people of Prickett’s as you have me and my family.
In 1991, I was 40 years old, my son Burt was 10. My body was wearing down resulting from having been a landscape contractor in Sonoma County since 1975. I knew I had to make a change. Having always loved gardening and the rewards it brought, I soon realized having a nursery was the way to go. I mortgaged my home to the max, borrowed every penny I could, pretty much depleted my savings and with the help of several friends, developed Healdsburg Nursery from a vacant lot. After several months, we were able to put together a modest yet efficient retail nursery. With limited funds left over, we loaded it up with a fair amount of plant material and opened our doors on Aug. 30, 1991. Everything seemed to be in place except one detail, you, the community. Now the scary part, would Healdsburg Nursery be accepted?
My 10 year old son helped out on weekends and now my 11 and 13 year old granddaughters (who you’ve watched grow up on Healdsburg Nursery’s e-mail blasts over the years) helped out when in the area. Three generations, you made it possible by accepting us for almost a quarter of a century. I can’t thank you enough for your loyal support and kind words upon my retirement. Thank you just doesn’t say it all.
Michael Skurtun
Former owner,
Healdsburg Nursery