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Words have costs
EDITOR: I just got home from another “fire recovery” meeting. After each meeting I find myself in anguish asking, “Don’t they know what those words cost?” Words like, “Of course you will need to comply with the current building codes.” Don’t they know that the newest codes are full of unexpected and costly requirements?
“It will take two years to replace the contaminated pipes … We cannot guarantee that we will have water to your new house …” Don’t they understand — I mean truly and deeply understand — how devastating those words are to our already over-traumatized neighbors and how much such a delay will cost them?
“We don’t know that yet … We hope to have an answer on that soon … We’re going to being looking into that …” Don’t they know what these words cost? Increased fear and worry. Frustration, desperation and despair.
As I leave each meeting I hear people around me saying, “I just can’t take this anymore. We’re going to have to sell our lot and move away. We need to rebuild our lives somewhere else.” It makes me so sad. I don’t want them to leave. For how many more meetings must this go on? Don’t they know what these words cost?
Bob Harder
Windsor
Thanks to Jones
EDITOR: I live too far away to come to Benita Jones’ retirement party but I know if my husband were alive we would both be there to say thank you for a life time of service to our Windsor children. We were honored to send our children and they sent our grandchildren through Healdsburg and Windsor schools.
While that always exposes you to many teachers and administrators, one of the most exceptional will always be Benita Jones. She had an unbelievable memory and always remembered the children that went through her school, even years later. She spent untold hours of her own time making sure every student received the attention needed to move forward in life with much to offer others through life.
One of my fondest memories of Benita was her capability to make other groups in our Windsor community part of the learning process in our schools. Kiwanis was a good example of her connection to those groups. As a Kiwanian we always knew how many children we needed to help on our Christmas toy drive and Benita was always one of the first to report to us.
As chairman of the toy drive more than once, she helped me in a way I will never forget one year when it was a particularly difficult year. I mysteriously found out about a few families who were not even going to have a Christmas tree.
I always thought it was her but she never admitted it, but four families received a visit in the middle of the night and found fully decorated Christmas trees on their front porch. Under those trees were clothes including jackets, toys and a Christmas card with a gift certificate from Raley’s for a full Christmas dinner. Benita always knew the connections to get things done and never hesitated to use them.
She is indeed a very special lady and will be missed. I wish her a wonderful retirement and know she will always be remembered. Thank you dear lady for your service above and beyond.
Rita Schroeder-Trout
Maple Valley, WA
Parking fiasco
EDITOR: I suggest an article for your next edition inviting Bill Gallaher to justify the Town Green parking fiasco, and listing the tow operators involved so your readers can make decisions about which businesses to support, or not, in the future.
You might also look into whether or not any law applies regarding removal of a person’s purse/wallet and child-protection equipment. The May 10 edition letters to the editor are quite damning, so in fairness we should see if there is more to the story.
G. Anderson
Windsor
Parking fee
EDITOR: Dear Ms. Bailey: perhaps you should have taken to heart the quote from Mayor Fudge in your lead May 10 SMART train article: “We’ve concentrated on the last 20 years on building a downtown and redoing our streets so we can become a less car-centric town; so people can get around without having to drive.”
Parking at the Town Green is always problematic, even midweek midday without an event. Yet Windsor promotes these family and cultural activities without adequate concern for the concomitant issues. In life you can’t often eat your cake and have it too. Please consider your $437 fine a fee for Town Green valet parking.
Len Schwer
Windsor
Parking solutions
EDITOR: (Regarding the parking/towing situation at the Windsor Day Parade) The bigger question is what are Windsor and festival planners doing about parking options and people moving in general? I will be a new resident to Windsor this next week, so I did not attend the event. My greater concern is for the next event.
As Windsor continues to grow and hold public events that I would presume they hope gain in popularity — and larger amounts of attendees near and far — how will they provide for that attendance, transportation to and fro and of course their parking?
This seems to a wake up call to the city and the event planners — Windsor Kiwanis. What were the options and contingencies made for extra parking? Could a nearby school, church, field, have been used for parking, then folks bused to the festivities? Were there shuttle buses?
While there appears to have been signage about what not to do, where not to park (though the jury appears to be out as to just how good and legal they were) … where were people to be parking instead? Was there a means for getting people from point A to B? What were ADA accommodations provided for those who needed them?
It appears the Windsor Kiwanis and the city need to revisit their planning for the swelling numbers of people and cars. While it’s an indication of a successful event, it is a greater indication of more intricate city/event planning. Now that we know what didn’t work, here are possible solutions to prevent this from happening the next time:
1. Establish a cross-agency agreement with schools/churches, government center, other community agencies/businesses that have the capacity for extra parking 2. Advertise clearly and in advance of the event where that parking is located and any costs for it 3. Use school buses to transport attendees from a parking area to a drop off area. Buses have lifts to accommodate ADA. 4. Encourage ride-share and offer preferential parking, special discounts etc. for those who do.
Hopefully these questions will be answered and workable solutions will be in place before next year’s event or any other that is on the calendar now.
Donna Martinez
Windsor
