Letters to the Editor 4-18-13

Get real
Editor: I had a very different experience at our wonderful one way street that I have not seen talked about here yet. As we all know, when one drives a pickup, one cannot turn on a dime, so when turning left into the mailbox drop lane, one has to start from the middle of the street. It IS only a one lane/one way street, right? Well, one impatient gentleman decided I was going too slow getting ready to turn into the drop boxes and tried to pass me on the left. And yes, I DID have my left turn signal on! After slamming on my brakes, and him honking at me, I continued my left turn into the drop box driveway, with the gentleman shaking his fist at me. Oh my, great start to my errands! Then I completed my ‘circle’ and drove up to the stop sign at Foss Creek and Grove and waited for oncoming traffic to pass so I could turn right to head downtown.  One car, two cars… then the third one put their right turn signal on. I waited because I was sure they would pass me and turn in at the south entrance to Foss Creek Circle. Well, as the car came closer, I realized the young woman WAS planning on turning in next to me. Suddenly the male passenger’s arms were waving madly (the window was rolled down) and as she was watching and listening to him and obviously confused, she nearly broadsided me correcting her right turn the wrong way on our one-way street. I would say there was maybe two inches clearance between our bumpers as she swerved away from me. She went on to turn in the next corner, and I sat there for a moment, smelling the sweet smell of burned rubber on pavement and catching my breath while saying a quick prayer for being spared this day.
City Council, please, please, is it going to take a major accident for this street to be returned to either two-way, or one-way going counter clock wise? Either way is safer that what it is now. Come on, just do it! How many people have to write/call and have close calls or minor fender benders before you get real about this street.
I hope everyone who is having bad experiences with this mistake one-way street will take the time to write letters and call City Hall and complain. Something needs to be done, and now!
Chris Love
Healdsburg
A wrong solution
Editor: Mr. McGraw’s recent letter-to-the-editor highlighting the financial threat to Healdsburg is “right on.” Unfortunately, his proposal to use City funds earmarked for our Memorial Bridge cost share does not square with the financial facts and is the wrong solution to an admitted deficit problem.
I fully support Mr. McGraw’s assertion that our continuing budget deficit must be addressed sooner rather than later. Our City Council assured us that the increased revenue generated by the new 0.5 percent sale tax would be applied to decrease this deficit.
In my view, if excess funds remain after deficit reduction, they should be used to guarantee our City’s 11 percent cost share of the Memorial Bridge rehabilitation, the option unanimously selected by our Council in 2010 with the urging of many in our Healdsburg community. While attractive, the option to “let Caltrans handle it” is neither realistic nor feasible. Like it or not, we own our Memorial Bridge and are financially responsible for its maintenance and rehabilitation.
The only possible options for our bridge are replacement with a new, 72 foot wide, high speed, concrete box bridge or rehabilitation. Our city has paid about $1M+ to study these options. The cost of a new bridge (funded by our City, its owner, not Caltrans) is $24M+. Bridge closure would be about 2 years. Several long established businesses to the East of our bridge would be forced to close down. Our city’s cost share would be $2.6M.
Rehabilitation, scheduled to begin this summer, is about $12M with bridge closure a maximum of only 6 to 8 months. Our cost share would be $1.3M.
Clearly, on a financial basis alone, irrespective of the historic and iconic value of our Memorial Bridge, rehabilitation is the sensible option.
I’ve been informed our City has “hopes” that redevelopment funds confiscated by our state will be restored and could be used for our bridge rehabilitation cost share. In my view, rather than relying upon “hope,” it’s more financially prudent to apply excess sales tax revenue (if any) to guarantee our committed share of the rehabilitation cost.
Should the fund restoration “hope” be realized, these funds could be reallocated to other projects as determined by our Council and their recent community poll.
This summer, many in our Healdsburg community eagerly await the promised start of our Memorial Bridge rehabilitation, the option committed to by our Council in 2010.
I clearly share that eagerness!
Mel Amato
Healdsburg
Barn dance success
Editor: Our hearts overflow with gratitude to the individuals and businesses in our community for their overwhelming support of the Healdsburg Future Farmer’s Country Fair. This past Saturday we held our 21st Annual Barn Dance at Soda Rock Winery in the heart of Alexander Valley. We hit record numbers with attendance and fundraising. We were bursting at the seams with over 300 guests in attendance and fundraising over $20,000.
On behalf of the HFFCF Fair Board we thank all the businesses that donated items to our Silent and Live Auction, wineries that donated 100 percent the wine that was poured at our No Host Bar, the 25-plus 4-H and FFA students that helped us serve our guests, community members that donated time and equipment for catering, Amoruso for printing all our media, and Wilson Artisan Wineries for donating use of Soda Rock Winery for this amazing event.
I’d like to send a big hoot and holler to everyone in the community for supporting our 64th Healdsburg Future Farmer’s Country Fair which allows youth in our community to pursue their dreams in agriculture, leadership, and education. We look forward to seeing you at the Twilight Parade on Thursday, May 23, as we kick off our 64th Healdsburg Fair with “denim jeans and country dreams” style!
Emily McCutchan & Phil Manoukian
Barn Dance Co-Chairs