Letters to the Editor 3-3-16

Thyme Square
Editor: Concerning what development goes into the five remaining acres of Thyme Square, my thinking is that if we can’t have an “Agrarium” there demonstrating and promoting the hows and whys of growing healthy food from healthy soil for healthy living, then let us have a health center there.  Alexander Valley Health Care surely deserves a bigger and better facility from which to serve us than they now have.
It is a real asset to have them right here in Cloverdale for the convenience of us all. I am impressed that they had the foresight several years ago to replace the word medical in their name (which emphasizes victimhood and the pharmaceutical industry) to health, which implies impowerment and prevention. This new paradigm embraces the philosophy that humans have now evolved to a place of taking responsibility for their own health. Perhaps their new building on Thyme Square could also be make lovely with flowers and greenery and places to rest in peace. Maybe even another community garden.
Mardi Grainger
Cloverdale
Too good to last
Editor: Two weeks of no complaining about our airport. Don’t these people have better things to do – like actually researching the difference in a turf landing strip and paved and the effects on planes? How about researching what other airports charge for hanger rent – airports that are nicer and have more amenities?
You harassed Norcal and tried to get the city to get them out, and when that didn’t work those same complainers decided the next step would be to close the airport entirely – resulting in almost $50,000 cost to the city. That didn’t work. The city finally opened their eyes and saw what everyone else already knew – the promises from Laulima were false and they just wanted to appease their spouse.
Now there is a move by certain people to raise the hanger rent by an obscene 7 percent a year for the next four years. The pilots already pay almost as much as those in Santa Rosa Airport, Ukiah and Healdsburg, and the pilots at these other airports don’t have to worry about stuff stolen – the airports have locked gates and security. They also don’t need to pull their aircraft through over 100 feet of loose gravel, uneven ground and weeds to get to their hanger.
Jewel or ghetto … with all its faults, we at the airport still consider it a jewel. When the gate needed painting we did it, when the weeds needed to be pulled, we did it, when the fence needed fixing we did that too. The city charges the airport fund a certain amount each year for maintenance. What is that amount? What are those city employees actually doing to maintain our airport? When someone compared the city to a slumlord, they were probably referring to the city’s lack of care in actually fixing things or really taking an interest.
They were quick in putting out almost $50,000 to appease Laulima, and quick to take the $28,000 they received for the Red Bull event – and I wonder what account was credited for that money, certainly not the airport if it is still claimed that we’re running in the red. Checking the city’s proposed budget, (which you can see online), it shows a profit for the airport of almost $20,000. That’s profit, not loss. The city does not have to raise the rent to cover a loss. I believe it’s just another stab at the airport from certain people with a lot of money to convince other people. I say enough, find another hobby.
Yes, we the hanger renters are upset about the suggestion to raise the hanger rents. At a 7 percent per year increase, in four years our rent would be 20 percent more than any other airport in Sonoma, Mendocino, Lake and Napa counties.
Please people; find another subject to complain about. Or, better yet, write something positive for a change.
Linda Welch
Cloverdale