Letters to the Editor 5-8-14

Love and support
Editor: We would like to thank our wonderful community of Healdsburg for their support and love of our dear friends Neil, Val and Hannah Mae Cronin. Over the last eight months you have made an amazing impact on their lives as well as their family and friends (framily). The fundraisers, meal train, cards, treats, thoughtful gifts and notes at the door have helped ease our heartbreaking situation. We are so appreciative to live in such an incredibly supportive and loving community.
Danya Richter Nicastro and
Dino and Lisa Pillinini
Healdsburg
Death of small town
Editor: One of the hottest issues in Healdsburg is the ongoing debate between whether the town should be designed for tourists or locals. As locals witness the rapid development of downtown Healdsburg from a small local hangout to an internationally known wine country Disneyland, they are also witnessing the death of our small town character. This is an atrocious death that is had at the hands of non-locals who want to make money off of rich San Franciscans coming here for a day trip. My generation will be one of the last to grow up in a true, authentic Healdsburg. When one thinks about this for a second, it is a shocking tragedy. While my generation grew up in a town with FFA fairs, local taquerias, farmers markets, and swimming in the river, the next generation of kids will grow up in one filled with limos, tasting rooms, drunk people in public, and boutiques that sell stylized chairs for $1,500 each.
Two of the most important indicators of this major transformation the town is undergoing is the dwindling amount of services for locals and lack of variety in the whole town, although this is seen most heavily in the Downtown area. If one can’t obtain basic services like affordable auto care, medical attention, groceries, and clothing within a small radius of home, how can one be expected to live in this area at all?
Another major issue of debate in the town is whether to allow large hotels to expand and take up more space in the Plaza and other places in Healdsburg. Just the thought of a Hyatt Healdsburg is enough to send chills down the spines of any local who has undertaken the formidable task of parking downtown on a barrel tasting weekend. If these hotels are allowed to proliferate with unrestricted growth, there will be hundreds of places for wealthy tourists to sleep while property prices for less fortunate locals will continue to skyrocket. Just as gentrification of major urban areas like Brooklyn pushed out locals and their cultures, big box hotels will push away the Healdsburg natives. Not surprisingly, many of the developers of large hotels such as Hotel Healdsburg have actively protested this and other opinions relating to limiting tourism development in Healdsburg. These developers and other businesspeople have deep pockets and deep webs of connection that allows them to sway City Council and the Chamber of Commerce to side with them despite popular opinion. Throughout history, the little guys who can find a voice often win against the Goliaths of the world. The little guys in this scenario are the ordinary citizens of Healdsburg, and we need a voice to stem the tide of Big Tourism that threatens to wash away our town.
The voice who speaks against the tide in Healdsburg is the Healdsburg Citizens for Sustainable Solutions, a local activist group. While the activism group has received a considerable amount of bad press, they are the ones who are doing a lot of the heavy lifting in saving Healdsburg, and we should do everything in our power to support them. While many members of the Old Healdsburg community denounce HCSS as anti-Healdsburg and out to destroy businesses, this simply isn’t the truth. HCSS is made up of legal professionals with vested interest in Healdsburg, such as co-founder Warren Watkins, who has actively protested luxury home development Saggio Hills and also kept hotels with an unsustainable amount of rooms from being built in Healdsburg. Warren Watkins and his compatriots represent the people’s voice of Healdsburg, and everyday citizens, particularly high school students should support them and their efforts.
Sam Naujokas
Healdsburg
Support the fireworks
Editor: I read with interest the article about funding for our annual fireworks show on July 4. It has been my feeling, every since the American Legion starting putting on the show in 1988 that everyone who enjoys the show should help fund it. Before private fireworks were banned in town, folks would spend $50-$100 for fireworks without blinking an eye. For this reason, I have donated to the American Legion every year. It is a privilege to experience the incredible show they present. I would feel ashamed if I did not pay for that privilege.
About eight years ago I realized that very few people donate to this cause. While purchasing items at a local business, the clerk saw my name and commented that he knew I donated to the American Legion fireworks funding. I was shocked that my name would stand out and saddened to realize that so few people donate.
People routinely spend $100 or more for concert tickets. What is an evening of fireworks worth to you and your family?
Of course, people need only donate what they can afford. But, this year when you are enjoying the show and you have once again not contributed to the funding, I hope you feel a little ashamed.
Mary Doll
Healdsburg
Economic strategy
Editor: The Healdsburg City Council should be commended for its decision to bring in a consultant to evaluate the need for future lodging development. Now the City has a fact-based study that can help guide the process for consideration of future projects. Better to work with sound and objective data, than to get caught up in the emotions of the moment. Knowledge is power, and knowledge leads to informed decision making.
Of course Mr. Warren Watkins has objections about the study, as the study doesn’t support his beliefs. He prefers to rely on feedback that was obtained by a leading and slanted ‘survey’ as circulated by HCSS.
Mr. Watkins’ disdain for our City’s economic growth and prosperity is blatantly obvious. That type of thinking is foreign to me, as most cities strive for economic stability, as they absolutely need economic stability. I wonder what he would prefer? If only he could have lived here in the ‘down’ times. If only he could have been here in the early 80’s when the decision was made to pursue tourism.
There were other suggested proposals for economic development back in the early 80’s. That’s when the City was severely struggling, and we were in search of some method of economic development. Ultimately we made the choice to pursue tourism and related pursuits, and the rest is history. Now we’re on the international map as one of the most desirable small towns in the country.
As stated, there were other proposals. One proposal … trust me, this is true … was to build a K-Mart on the Plaza. Yes, that’s what I said, build a K-Mart on the Plaza! The location was on the vacant lot wherein now sits Healdsburg Hotel, and the proposal was suggested by a member of the City’s management staff.  This was a serious proposal, and it was brought forth as a means to spur economic growth and provide the City with a tax base based on the revenues generated by the K-Mart store. It was surmised that other retail stores would follow K-Mart, and that they in turn would also contribute to the tax base. That was going to be our economic development plan, and it could have happened.
So, Mr. Watkins … perhaps that’s an economic alternative that maybe you would have preferred. No hotels, restaurants, shops, or wine tasting needed… K-Mart can be our savior. In any event, given your reliance on slanted surveys, I have a suggestion. How about another HCSS survey to pose the question:  
“Given the need for some sort of Plaza-area economic strategy and development, would you prefer to have a K-Mart on the Plaza (with attendant retail stores), or would you prefer the current trend of lodging, quality shops and restaurants, and the allure of world-class wines?”
Please share the results of your survey.
Kent Mitchell,
Healdsburg