LETTERS TO THE EDITOR 7-19-12

Top notch theater
Editor: How fortunate we are to have top notch theater in our town. Since my family landed in Sebastopol 11 summers ago, we’ve seen every single summer Shakespeare in the Park production. We live in a small town, yet have access to some of the best theater anywhere. This summer is no exception. “Peaseblossom” is an original production featuring both local and Oregon Shakespeare actors. The show is terrific and worthy of your attention.
One of my favorite parts of every show is the parade of actors in full costume from their dressing room two blocks away at the Sebastopol Independent Charter School to the outdoor Ives Park stage. The costumes for “Peaseblossom” are out of this world, some of the most spectacular I’ve ever seen. And the story is a fun version of fairy mischief behind “A Midsummer Night’s Dream.”
So head out to Ives Park with your family and friends to see a part of what makes Sebastopol special. Those in the know bring picnics, folding chairs, and winter coats to ward off the evening chill that makes our West County climate so wonderful. The show runs July 19 through 22, and 26 through 28, with each performance beginning at 7 p.m. Check out mainstagewest.com/sebshakes for more information.
Susan Olson
Sebastopol
Kudos to Apple Valley
Editor: I recently returned home from almost seven weeks in Kaiser Hospital and a rehab facility.
I went into emergency, had major surgery, and received wonderful care while I was there.
Then I was transferred to Apple Valley rehab in Sebastopol. I did not know anything about a rehab facility, so I did not have any clothing with me and to my surprise I was told about dressing each day. The people there immediately rounded up some clothing and I started on my road to recovery.
The physical therapists are wonderful and work hard to help us recover. They are helpful, joyful, and courteous. I praise them for their work.
Everybody employed there was very attentive and kind. We did a lot of laughing, teasing and tried to do the things they did to help us recover.
Everybody there, the Administrator and his staff, laundry people, nurses, aides, maintenance workers were all very helpful and the dietary folks gave their best. I want to thank them for their work and kindness in helping me to return home in better health than I was in.
Edie Avery
Sebastopol
Loss of funding
Editor: The loss of redevelopment funding has significantly impacted Sebastopol. Several projects are now on hold or cancelled, some remaining half-finished such as the Ives Park renovation plan. This has been a difficult time not only for our city, but for many of the 400 other cities and counties with established redevelopment agencies. Gone are the opportunities to renew blighted areas and fund creative projects such as the Facade Improvement Program which many of our businesses took advantage of to give their buildings a new look.
Another loss that Sebastopol incurred was losing the position of Economic Development Coordinator. I want to recognize our former EDC, Ken Meyerhoff. Several of us involved in city government lobbied for this position to be created. Many cities have benefitted from a dedicated person working on local economic development. We gained approval for the position in 2010. Ken, a city resident, served our community well. He worked with the Business Outreach Committee and helped draft their annual work plan, conducted a survey of local businesses to gain an understanding of their thoughts about the business environment, and helped organize city projects that were created to help energize our local economy. We were beginning to see positive changes from his work when the process began to eliminate California’s redevelopment agencies.
While we awaited the final disposition of our agency, Ken was no longer paid, but he volunteered his time to continue to work for the City. He worked for two months on his own, and his efforts during this time were very productive.  Thank you, Ken, for your dedication and your work. It is very much appreciated.
Kathleen Shaffer
Sebastopol City Councilmember
Public benefit
Editor: What wonderful news that the former Monte Rio School is about to become a cafe, skateboard park, community garden and creekside trail to the coast. I always notice the beauty that surrounds that sad, dilapidated building and now it will be the jewel of the town; a safe place for kids to socialize and get exercise, a place to grow food, and a destination spot! I’m looking forward to going there myself. Congratulations to the town of Monte Rio.
Susan Bendinelli
Sebastopol
Economic vitality
Editor: Carol (my wife) and I have our home on Healdsburg Avenue in Sebastopol. We believe we are quite fortunate to live on such a vibrant and prosperous extension of Main Street. Considering the dark economic clouds sometimes painted by the mainstream media, our corner of the county community appears to be growing and sustaining itself. In the enduring spirit of Main Street, Healdsburg Avenue is carrying on this positive tradition quite well, we believe.
Look around and see the changes. A shuffle has occurred with some of the older businesses. The new owners have adopted and offered new services and have contributed to our fair city. Hats off to those friends and neighbors like the Sheldons of Lowell’s and lofts for their fine contributions on our pedestrian friendly corner of Florence Avenue.
Real praise needs to be given to Steve and Wendy Zhao; this hard-working couple is continuing to invest and enliven our community. They have provided us with delicious variety of flavors at their Peking Chef and Sushi Tozai restaurants. What an architectural beauty Steve and Wendy have created with their soon-to-open new restaurant on the corner of Healdsburg and Florence Avenues. This restaurant has bridged together aesthetically and architecturally unique styles that exist along our street.
Thank you for taking that was ordinary to what now is extraordinary. We can all learn from the efforts and sensitivity these fine merchants have displayed.
We are proud to be neighbors on the avenue.
Mr. and Mrs. Glen Pinnow
Sebastopol
What are the issues?
Editor: The letter by Richard Nichols, published July 12 (“Issues laid out”), suggests that the forthcoming Sebastopol City Council election will be exceptionally important because we will be selecting not just a candidate but “a vision of Sebastopol’s future.” He would like us to believe that the candidates Jacob and Eder are the sugar and spice and everything nice, whereas Austin and Shaffer constitute the proverbial slugs and snails and puppy dogs’ tails. Less traffic, pedestrian safety, and environmentalism are said to be the prime issues.
Ah, if only it were so simple. If only Sebastopol were not situated squarely at the intersection of two state highways. If only the lives of pedestrians could be helped by discouraging any development that might improve the business climate. If only we could make our air and water cleaner and reduce our use of energy by gaming the design review process to discourage any business entity that is not locally owned.
Nichols represents a cadre of local political activists whose vision of the future is shaded by notions of a mythical past in which the absence of radio waves enabled us to live healthier lives and pharmacies were run exclusively by moms and pops. A group that prefers a candidate (Eder) who failed to complete his term on the Cotati City Council.
Sebastopol is lucky to have two women as well-qualified as Austin and Shaffer and who are willing to take on the pettiness and dysfunction that have become the hallmarks of Sebastopol politics. Shaffer, in particular, has a rather amazing track record of hard work, encouragement of small business and community service including the beautification of our downtown. A retired small business person herself, she led the effort to create the Sebastopol Entrepreneurs Project (SEP). It is Shaffer who works with the SEP volunteer committee to promote new avenues of commerce for local food, facilitate the uses of green tech, and help create business opportunities for makers and artisans, as well as health and wellness businesses.
It was also Shaffer who led an effort to calm traffic adjacent to Burbank Heights. The result, with the help of Chief Weaver, is a solar powered meter that tells drivers to slow down. It was Shaffer who initiated and participated in numerous improvement projects in our splendid little town — free meals for those in need, disaster preparedness, Valley View street repairs, park improvements, a new no-smoking ordinance for multi-unit housing and parks. The list goes on and on.
And then there’s this CVS thing. While her detractors have been huffing and puffing about hot button issues that have nothing to do with where and how a drug store is relocated, Shaffer has committed herself to supporting a fair, legal decision process. The city has rules. If we don’t like the rules, let’s change them.
If vision is a central criterion for judging a candidate, consider Shaffer’s: a town that thrives because it is a market center for the West County, a town that shines with holiday lights, a town that cherishes its seniors and youths and artists and artisans, a town that finds ways to adapt to the world as it is, even as it charts its own way forward.
Grant Barnes
Sebastopol
Greenberg responds
Editor: A few of the letters responding to my commentary in Sonoma West Times & News (“The battle for a green Sebastopol,” June 28) followed this rationale: Sebastopol’s economy is not thriving; and so the City Council should override the Design Review Board’s 4 to 1 ruling and greenlight the CVS/Chase development project.
Where does this rationale lead us? That because our nation is in a recession (which Sebastopol is coping with far better than most cities) we ought to let CVS bulldoze over our community? To clear away local government’s obligation to maintain a traffic accessible, small town, sustainable Sebastopol because its wealthiest landowners insist upon only selling to the largest multinational corporations in the world?
Then, this Kathleen Shafer and Cathy Austin-supported rationale suggests, those jobs and tax revenue will just magically trickle down from the feudal lords of today and their enablers in local government to us plain folks. To me, this is like Mitt Romney saying that the way out of a recession is more tax cuts for billionaires.
I spent decades as an investigative financial journalist, reporting on major real estate projects for magazines like Forbes and New York. Frequently, vested financial interests would advance dubious claims of tax benefits to justify the circumvention of local laws.
My sober assessment of the economic benefits of this deal are that it would add about $5,000 in annual property taxes to city coffers. And because drug sales by CVS are untaxed and CVS retail space will be significantly reduced from the existing store, there will be no increase in sales tax revenue to the city.
Meanwhile, the long-term economic impact for thousands of us, in lost time because of traffic and the diminished access to, and appeal of, our charming downtown, could cost us millions.
On Thursday, Sebastopol’s City Council will either vote to stand with its citizens, and our Design Review Board, or capitulate to the power of one of our wealthiest landowners and two bullying gargantuan corporations. The consequences of this decision will be felt by our community for decades to come.
I hope they make the responsible decision of upholding the DRB’s thoughtful findings and maintaining a livable, sustainable green Sebastopol.
Jonathan Greenberg
Sebastopol