Letters to the Editor 9-5-13

Mission implausible
Editor: During 2012, our City Council has deliberated and voted on resolutions which are clearly implausible when judged according to the published mission statements (organizational purpose) of most cities. Before elaborating on that opinion, I want to clarify that this letter is not intended to be a blanket indictment or condemnation of our City Council. On the contrary, when addressing local issues in support of a mission statement common to most city councils, our representatives deliberate with due diligence and do their best to serve the needs of the community which elected them. Their thankless and low paying positions require that they make decisions possibly unpopular with some of their own neighbors.
In my view, our Council does a great job of walking that decision tightrope. They should be commended for volunteering to serve in a position which few in our community choose to seek.
That said, when they spend limited and precious deliberation time on matters which are not actionable by our City and are clearly outside of their defined mission, they are simply expressing a personal opinion they believe to be popular with their community. Doing so to “feel good” does not validate such deliberations.
While I couldn’t find a published mission statement for our City, it’s relatively easy to find such statements on the Internet. Most all are similar. One such combined City and City Council mission statement (city of Pullman, WA) follows:
“(City) To provide the highest quality of life through essential infrastructure, public safety, recreation, and welcoming growth within the constraints of fiscally responsible government. (Council)  To provide visionary leadership in policy making to enable the city to provide quality services at reasonable rates.”
Certainly, this mission statement includes but is not limited to “filling potholes” as narrowly characterized by a recent letter-to-the-editor viciously castigating Councilman Plass.
In my view, our Council’s 2012 deliberations and resolutions to challenge the Defense of Marriage Act, to support an assault weapons ban and to support the regulation of ammunition sales are all non-actionable and outside the scope of any common city and city council mission. Furthermore, these resolutions do not necessarily mirror the community viewpoint.
While each Council member is entitled to their personal opinions on such issues, I agree with Council members Plass and McCaffery that our Council meeting is not the place to air opinions on such issues. The Council’s duty is to pursue the mission for which they were elected.
Mel Amato
Healdsburg
Support for Gary Plass
Editor: I for one fully support Gary Plass and his rational for not supporting the assault weapons ban as presented to the Healdsburg city council. The City Council has serious work to do and that does not include offering opinions regarding national issues which are well outside the purview of the council. There are a number of high minded national issues that we all are aware of but that does not mean that the opinion of the City Council is desired or called for. This is not a constitutional question but rather one of common sense and focus. As far as I am concerned; keep up the good work Gary and keep your eye on the needs of the city and let other elected bodies address the full range of state and national issues.
Vernon Simmons
Healdsburg
Rich, complaining newbies
Editor: These names were used to identify your neighbors who live around the Healdsburg Airport, when they spoke their concern about the expansion of noise and pollution that would be coming to their backyards due to the proposed flight school and rent-a-plane business now before the City Council.
We respect the rights of recreational pilots, who have been with us since the beginning; they care for the airport and they care about us. For them, how can an increase in circling student pilots be a plus? As well, it’s hard for me to see how any of the proposal is a boon for us as individuals and the town in general.
Pulling out the newbie card is silly and divisive. We are your neighbors, who care for and love our town: we eat in our restaurants; buy in our stores; sit next to you in our places of worship and pay taxes for our schools.
Further, it’s silly to talk about who got here first, when we’re trying to solve a real problem concerning all of us. As far as I know, the Pomos were here first, and guess who pushed and expanded them out of their own backyard.
Big ain’t always better. We don’t want to shut down the airport; just not expand it to the detriment of others.
Please let your councilpersons know how you feel. They are thoughtful, caring neighbors. Text, phone, write, talk, take them out for lunch. They need to hear from you.
Carl Sutter
Healdsburg
Additional information
Editor: I couldn’t help but feel embarrassed and wonder how the several members of the black community who live in Healdsburg felt when reading the Healdsburg Police Log from Sat Aug. 24: “A fight was reported on Healdsburg Ave between two men, one reportedly with an afro and tattoos.” Hmm. I’m guessing that’s code for black?  What about the other person fighting? How about a description of his hair? I noticed there are no other descriptions printed for any of the other supposed perpetrator’s hair in any of the other incidents and altercations. In the 17-word account of this event, the writer found time to imply that one of the perpetrators was an African American. Finding this odd additional information in the police brief was made doubly so by the editorial in the same issue on the opinion page about Dr King’s Dream that asked the question, “Does racism and social injustice still exist among us?”
Chris Saulsbury
Healdsburg
Ranchers
Editor: The Ranchers you mentioned in your story in the Discovery Magazine more than likely thought of themselves as Farmers and instead of drinking in Skips in those days, they probably were having coffee with Myrtle at Bakers Lunch a few doors West of Skips. I worked for Dutton a few summers in the Seventies when I was at Sonoma State. I was lucky enough to eat in that place with him a few times. I think the menu was the one thing she was serving on any particular day. I don’t know when it closed but a few times on my way to the Underwood I peeked in the windows before they were boarded up. It looked like nothing had been touched on the counter since the last time they locked the door. I never did go to Skips.
Ralph Harmon
Graton
Defending Gary
Editor: I love reading the “letters to the editor” section of our local Tribune and really enjoy the back and forth that occasionally occurs. However, a couple of letters these past two weeks have led me to the decision that I need to get involved in the defense of Gary Plass.
1. Gary is a disgrace. A disgraceful person is one who bring’s shame to his family and his community. This is not a description if someone who has spent almost all his adult life being a public servant, first on the police force, then giving back to his community as a councilman (not to mention the countless hours of volunteer work for various organizations). I would more readily ascribe that meaning to someone who makes ad hominem attacks on public servants without knowing all the facts.
2. Quoting the Constitution. I do believe the Constitution allows for dissenting votes. Lockstep voting is for rubber stamp councils like the type they had in Nazi Germany or even now in Soviet Russia. Consequences were dire (concentration camp or the Gulag). Here, in our little town, it seems to be because everyone else is doing it, pleasing the public and/or striving for political correctness.
I watched a sleepy little town in Northwestern California with a lovely little plaza much like ours, become the victim of a lockstep voting council. First they voted to make it a “Nuclear Free Zone.” That, and a few other “resolutions” opened the floodgates for hundreds looking for a “haven” for their various philosophies. You couldn’t walk on the sidewalks of the surrounding businesses without having to compete with them, their animals, their paraphernalia, and a few other unmentionables. Naturally, no one bothered to shop there anymore.
I say “Hooray for dissenting voices,” it’s what led to the American Revolution and a free America.
Marie Justin
Healdsburg
One of our own
Editor: Mr. Holley’s column is a beautiful tribute to Neil and Val Cronin. They have supported this community for many years. Neil has always deflected credit from himself to others. This is our opportunity to give back on their behalf. Healdsburg holds an annual Mr. Healdsburg contest. I believe Neil Cronin is the true Mr. Healdsburg.
Dave Bell
Healdsburg