Letters to the Editor 4-23-15

Information, dialogue, and education
Editor: I think many of us in the community are thinking along the same lines regarding Healdsburg’s plan of action for drought and conservation. The quest for a long-term water plan, put forth by Gail Jonas and others last week, is timely. There is anxiety in the community around the drought. I wrote a letter to the city last week and then spoke with Meg Lawrence. She was very responsive, has some good ideas about conservation workshops and will bring up the idea of a public education forum at this week’s staff meeting involved in water management and Gov. Brown’s mandates. Once the mandates are understood, the city of Healdsburg will have information to share. It won’t cover everything that we need for a long-term water plan, but it is a start.  I hope that we, as a community, can work together to make the best out of a difficult situation. Information, dialogue and education are key.
Cathy Mihalik
Healdsburg
Misplaced indignation
Editor: Rollie Atkinson raised some interesting points in his tax day editorial. But he lost me in the last paragraph with his statement “… we all work one third of the year for the government and two-thirds for us and our families.” This simplistic, oft-repeated factoid is less enlightening than polarizing. It would be more accurate to state: “We all work one third of the year to maintain government-administered services intended to benefit our entire society, such as national defense, police and fire protection, transportation infrastructure, Social Security, Medicare, public education, public parks, the criminal justice system, food and drug safety standards…(the list could go on).” But viewing taxation from that perspective doesn’t inspire quite the same indignation, does it?
Leah Gold
Healdsburg
Confusing billing
Editor: It is about time (‘Hospital opens its books’ April 16, 2015). I have been trying to figure out what happened sometime between the first of May and June 18, 2014, when my husband had to go to the emergency room. We have not had our secondary insurance pay anything that we had done at the hospital or Healdsburg Primary since May. There were a couple of visits to the emergency room, and a stay in the ICU, test, X-rays and doctors visits. The only bill we have received was for Healdsburg Primary Care, which was wrong. They never billed our secondary insurance company. They just billed the primary, and then on to us. I have tried to work this out. Wow! I want to pay them. But it seems that they can’t get it together to do it right. I did speak to someone several months ago, and I have seen nothing yet. Either there is no one in the office, or knows how to return a call. I want my hospital. I don’t want to go to Santa Rosa for my medical treatments, unless we need a specialist that doesn’t practice here. I would like to have a meeting when they have all our records laid out for me to see and try to resolve this. I wonder how many others are in the same boat.
Sharon Rotlisberger
Healdsburg
Thanks, but ...
Editor: I have read Rollie Atkinson’s article today about the hospital (‘Hospital opens its books’ April 16, 2015), and generally find it fair and accurate. I do, however, have a couple of minor quibbles on semantics, which can be so misleading and emotionally charged. First, the title of the article makes it appear that the hospital opened its books under some kind of duress. The hospital’s books have been open to the public since we became a district in 2003. They are public and easily obtained by anyone who wants to review them. This has always been true. It is also true that no one has for a long time, but the information has been there. Interpreting the information is another matter. The nationally recognized auditors brought in shed some light on why the numbers did not jibe and were so misleading. If they were unreported and hidden, it was not by the current administration, nor by intent, I believe, of the previous. Those systems requiring it have been fixed to the satisfaction of those very exacting auditors. Secondly, in the first paragraph, it is stated that the complaints of the nurses “triggered open communication.” The employee forums have been held regularly for over a year and pay issues have been addressed openly; recent public complaints have caused those forums to focus on the explanations for the nurse’s pay issues. These explanations have been given before, but are being clarified and repeated. Lastly, the emergency loan was needed at the end of 2013. There were no loans in 2014. Overall, the article was clear and accurate, but these minor issues could cast the current administration’s actions in an unfair light. They have not been forced to expose hidden problems. They have voluntarily responded to requests for information, not casting “blame” but solving the problems. Thank you, Rollie, for focusing on the hospital so that it can reach the ears of more of the community it loves and serves. I believe this administration is fully capable of bearing the scrutiny. I am speaking solely for myself, a satisfied hospital district employee, and do not speak for the hospital or the healthcare district.
Mary M. Johnson
Healdsburg
Cash for grass
Editor: I have recently been pre-qualified for a Cash for Grass rebate through the public works department of the city of Healdsburg. So many neighbors and friends have asked about the program that I think it deserves a story in the Tribune. I contacted public works (431-3346) to schedule an eligibility and pre-inspection site visit. After a very simple visit from a city staff member, I was pre-qualified to receive a $400 rebate after my project is completed. This allowed me to hire a great crew to remove the lawn. I then went to Jail Industries (appointments: 525-8310) to buy drought resistant plants at a very reasonable price. After these are planted and my sprinkler system is converted to drip, I will schedule a post-inspection to receive my rebate. I also plan to buy lots of succulents at the Healdsburg Garden Club’s big Plant Sale on May 2 at the Senior Living Center to finish my project. Thanks for spreading the word on this excellent water-saving program. The city’s brochure is on the website: City of Healdsburg: Cash for Grass.
Patti Lewis
Healdsburg
Telephone scoundrels
Editor: Life in the age of technology and international skulduggery has it downsides. My voicemail has seen the following message three times: “Calling regarding enforcement actions executed by U.S. Treasury intending your theaters attention. Ignoring this will be an intention-of-taking-attempt(?) to avoid initial appearance before a magistrate judge by the grand jury for a federal criminal offense. My number is 862-243-2104. I repeat 862-243-2104. I advise you to call back with us and help us to help you. Thanks.” The notices are as comical as they are annoying, and I would urge anyone who receives such threats to ignore them forthwith and assign them to oblivion. Only and until the guys in black SUVs, carrying sidearms, and wearing those cute little earbuds, and are supported by black helicopters, surround my house will I take this nuisance seriously. Or maybe when I get an official letter from the IRS in the mail.
Barbara Médaille
Healdsburg
Standing up for pets
Editor: My name is Maya. I go to The Healdsburg School. I am in third grade. I believe that pets should be better cared for by people. I care and love all animals no matter what. I also stand up for my pets. I try my best to care for my pets. If you were an animal, how would you feel if you were getting hurt all the time? When you treat your pet badly, they can’t say how they’re feeling so I am standing up for them. Some people say it’s the animals’ fault if they hurt you. But sometimes, they’re scared or you hurt them so they try to defend themselves by hurting you back. Over 100 animals are neglected by people. Kristen Bell would love to see animals being better treated. She is a famous singer and fights for animal rights. Pets need our help now!
Maya Malone
Healdsburg
Stop stereotypes
Editor: My name is Mazie, I go to The Healdsburg School. I believe that there shouldn’t be any girl stereotypes. I hear people say, “You fight like a girl, you scream like a girl,” and I know it hurts their feelings. When people are trying their best, sometimes other people say girl stereotypes to them. Girls and boys haven’t been treated in the right way. Girl stereotypes are not right. Stereotypes (run like a girl) make our confidence go down. “Like a girl” is an insult to girls. Girls are showing and proving there shouldn’t be girl stereotypes, like Laila Ali, a boxing superstar who is proving girl stereotypes are wrong. So is race car driver Nicole Lyons, when usually boys are the race car drivers. Both of them are girls and both are doing something a boy would do. We need to stop stereotypes now. We need to work together to stop stereotypes!
Mazie Kosta
Healdsburg