LETTERS TO THE EDITOR – 8-23-12

For the love of Sebastopol
Editor: The following letter is addressed to the citizens of Sebastopol:
Dear Friends and Neighbors,
I want to take this opportunity to thank all of you who came out and supported the Peacetown Summer Series. The evenings at Ives park were filled with fantastic music by quality musicians, who felt the love of the dancing crowd right in front of them. Happy locals swayed and hung out with the many out-of-towners that also attended. When we get together and celebrate, it strenghtens us as a community and demonstrates that the things that hold us together are stronger than the things that divide us. A big thanks to Rotary of Sebastopol and Mr. Music Foundation for funding this first, but not last summer series. We plan on more dates next year.
As a thank you to our town we have made the first of our First Friday Live at the Sebastopol Community Center a free concert. On Sept. 7 Mr. Music’s Back to School Boogie will feature the Fabulous Love Rustlers, Love Choir, and we will get you in the mood for the Cajun/Zydeco weekend with Black Cat and Rodogg. By all means bring the kids out to celebrate once again with happy music.
I LOVE this town,
Jim Corbett
Sebastopol
Yes on K
Editor: The recent economic downturn has taken its toll on government funding for public services at the local, state and federal levels. State funding for public elementary and secondary schools in California has been cut nearly 20 percent in the past five years. The West Sonoma County Union High School District relies on a local parcel tax for part of its funding. Since 1998, funds raised by a local parcel tax have allowed Analy, El Molino and Laguna High Schools to continue provide outstanding instructional opportunities including counseling and library services, music, fine arts, drama, science equipment, and technology. The current parcel tax generates approximately $530,000 in revenue to the West County high school district annually. The current parcel tax was approved in 2005 for an eight-year period, and expires in June 2013.
The WSCUHSD Board of Trustees has placed a parcel tax renewal, Measure K, on the November 6, 2012 general election ballot. Measure K is an eight-year $48 parcel tax. The Measure K ballot language specifies that funds from the measure will be used to keep school libraries open; maintain and improve shop, art, music, drama, culinary, technology, and other career education classes; maintain and improve college prep courses; and maintain student counseling services. Measure K would yield approximately $900,000 to support West County high schools annually. Measure K funds would not be used for administrative salaries, facility upkeep or other purposes not specified in the ballot language. By law, all parcel tax funds must be spent locally and cannot be taken by the State. Measure K would provide for an exemption for any parcel owned and occupied by a person 65 years of age or older. Measure K revenues and expenditures would be reviewed annually by an independent auditor and reported to the public.
Local volunteers have formed the K for Kids — Yes on K Committee to provide the community with information and urge passage on Measure K.
Our local schools are the most important asset in our community and should be our number one priority. From preparing for college and career to developing productive citizens, quality schools make a difference. However, because the State continues to reduce funding for public education, we need to do more to protect and maintain the quality of education locally. Measure K will continue to provide a stable source of local funds to offset reduced State funding. With the kind of support provided from Measure K, our students can become well-rounded, contributing members of the community. Without it, their education will be compromised. We anticipate that West County voters will step forward to help ensure our young people continue to have the best possible high school experience that enables them to reach career and college goals.
Jim Walton, Committee Chair
Keller McDonald, Committee Member
Sebastopol at crossroads
Editor: Regrettably, Sebastopol has been through contentious and uncomfortable debates surrounding the CVS/Chase proposal.
Beneath our disagreements, we share values in common: we all deplore the derelict Pellini dealership blighting downtown. We all want a vital and sustainable downtown business district. We all support pedestrian and bicycle-friendly development.
Supporters and opponents disagree mostly about design, traffic, and local ownership.
Supporters are satisfied — even pleased — with the CVS/Chase/Armstrong design. They are satisfied that the old traffic study is adequate. Supporters encourage CVS and Chase to move to the heart of downtown without regard to their out-of-town ownership and their troubling record of business practices.
Opponents see a suburban strip mall — a massive, boxy pharmacy/mercantile and a boring bank building plopped down in a sea of parking and served by drive-through windows.
Opponents believe that this auto-centric design will snarl downtown traffic.
Finally, opponents prefer LOCAL development. CVS sells drugs and merchandise manufactured overseas. Chase is a Wall Street bank. Both businesses take our money and run — right out of Sebastopol.
The derelict Pellini dealership sits on eight separate lots. Those eight lots could have had a dozen or more lively locally-owned businesses and at least that many offices or townhomes upstairs.
Sebastopol is at a crossroads — literally and figuratively. We can redevelop our downtown to become more local, lively, walkable, interesting, and fun — more like the downtowns of Sonoma or Healdsburg. Or we can redevelop so we resemble Rohnert Park.
In November please vote for City Council candidates John Eder and Robert Jacob. They will encourage local development that will maintain our property values and boost our feelings of belonging to this special town.
Dan Gurney
Sebastopol
What about the children?
Editor: It appears we really get caught up with the small minded, Small Town Sebastopol group; they spend so much of their time stirring the pot against any growth and improvements to our town (and the majority of city limit voters are not against CVS).
This group does not participate in any of the volunteering in town to improve our public service places such as the parks, the Senior Center, Art Center, or our schools, which are the real future of Sebastopol.
The City Council might want to use some of their energy to help the schools implement programs to help eradicate the rapidly growing problem of our children being “stoned” in our schools.
We need to educate our kids on the down sides to using marijuana and discourage the easy access to it, such as the presence of Robert Jacob’s business, which buys and sells marijuana in town, I am totally in favor of cannabis for medical issue’s, but he is running for City Council, which if elected is sending a very poor message to our children.
Mr. Jacob and John Eder, who is also running for City Council and was on Cotati’s City Council and did not finish his term because of conflicting issues.
Both of these people arepart of Small Town Sebastopol Group and Shepherd Bliss’s choice for our City Council so they can maintain their control of the City, and are not concerned how this affects our children.
Linda Rouse
Sebastopol
Sebastopol Citizens
Editor: Over several weeks in July and early August, a core group of Sebastopol Citizens (online at: SebastopolCitizens.org) held interviews of four candidates running for the two open seats on Sebastopol’s City Council this November. We interviewed Kathy Austin, Robert Jacob, Kathleen Shaffer (incumbent), and John Eder.
Each candidate has his or her strengths and each could bring something unique to the Council. After much discussion, we are very pleased to endorse Kathleen Shaffer and Kathy Austin to fill those two seats.
Shaffer and Austin best represent the common sense, mainstream values that we have and are shared by a broad cross section of the Sebastopol community. The experience they each bring is invaluable, with Shaffer currently on the Council and Austin having served on the Council in the past. They understand the diverse issues facing our town, and have a solid appreciation for how to balance growth and business interests with our small town charm. Both Shaffer and Austin come from a practical, hands-on, and balanced perspective. With proven track records, both have demonstrated that they can work very hard for our town, making the tough decisions when necessary. And always from the viewpoint as to what is best for Sebastopol to keep it unique, vibrant and such a cool place for all of us to call home.
John Henel
Sebastopol
Sustainable Sebastopol
Editor: We are a Sebastopol citizens’ group that believes a balanced common sense approach to local government is necessary for Sebastopol’s future. Our mission is simply to provide a platform to influence local government policies and decisions that ensure our community’s environmental, financial, social, and economic sustainability.
We are concerned about the actions of our City Council majority. We support balanced, factual, and commonsense policies that reflect the needs of all our citizens. Sebastopol is in significant financial distress. City reserves in the past several years have shrunk from $4 million to less than $300,000. We have the lowest city staff and police officer level since 1986. Sewer and water rates have been raised to repair antiquated structures and there is more city infrastructure in the same condition. Sales revenue is stagnant due to loss of businesses, few new businesses and a business unfriendly reputation. There is a ½ percent tax increase on the 2012 ballot with no economic plan.
We believe that City Council decisions should reflect the needs of all citizens and be based on objective criteria, accepted studies and factual information provided by qualified city staff. The City Council must represent the diversity of Sebastopol as well as those residents who live nearby, have businesses and shop locally. We believe that economic vitality is critical in maintaining the unique culture of our city. We need a change. Help us focus on local common sense governance to solve real issues in Sebastopol. Please visit our website at www.SustainableSebastopol.org.
Linda Johnson
Board Member, Sustainable Sebastopol