Letters to the Editor 8-13-15

Lytton development
Editor:
Windsor residents, citizens, visitors  — do you realize you are being “bought out” by big money out-of-state casino developers? Many millions have been passed already to members of the Town Council, to the County Supervisors, the State legislators, to the Governor and to the city of Windsor — for schools, fire protection, water resources (promises to build a pool and aquatic center), Town Green development, Wells Fargo Center. This is supposedly in the name of a very poor, under developed, homeless Indian tribe of 270 people, the Lytton Band of Pomo Indians for the Lytton Rancheria. Where did all this money for donations come from?
The Windsor Town Council has neglected its duty to the citizens by engaging in secret negotiations with the Indian tribe concerning purchased land in and around Windsor town limits. There are about 1300 acres now owned within Sonoma County; about 500 of these acres are outside the Urban Growth Boundaries set by the Windsor Planning Commission and accepted by the Town Council. There has been no open public meeting by the Council to address this issue with the residents and no vote of approval of a huge development project by the citizens.
Negotiations through Sonoma County Supervisors agreed to the attempt by Tribe to place these lands into Federal Trust through Congress, since it cannot legally do so through the Bureau of Indian Affairs. The County agreed to a development of building  over 350 houses, a 200-room hotel, a spa, a resort, the destruction of 1,500 trees and a working eco-system, and a 200,000 case a year winery and entertainment center. This is totally outrageous for Sonoma County.
The Town Council has the power and the obligation to its citizens to issue a written objection to this legislation sponsored by Representative Jared Huffman, H.R. 2538. If the lands go into Federal Trust there will be no local control of building regulations and restrictions, no taxes paid and no assurance that a casino will not be built on this property.
Come to a meeting planned for Aug. 25 at 5:30 p.m., at the Mary Agatha Furth Center on Old Redwood Highway, for a discussion of this proposed development. The Town Council will be represented; Supervisor James Gore will attend; Congressman Jared Huffman will be there. Will you be there? Citizensforwindsor.org will be there.
Diane Tomczak
Windsor
Thank you
Editor:
Thank you Windsor for all the goodness that’s in you. When our Mary Poppins venue got flooded two days before the show, so many people came forward to help. A shout out to Actor’s Theater for Children, Karen Silveira at KZST, the Windsor Odd Fellows, the Windsor Grange, the Sanctuary Church, Calicalmecac Language Academy and the Town of Windsor for looking for and offering a space to us. Thanks to Haleigh Dean and the LDS missionaries for standing at the flooded venue and redirecting people to Cali. Our show was a success because of the community and the parents.
Heather Cullen
Windsor