Letters to the Editor
Community Center explains decision
Editor: As has been reported, the Sonoma Community Center recently withdrew its request for funding from the City of Sonoma in its “Tier 1” or sustained funding program. This was a difficult decision and it was not taken lightly. However, we believe that it is the correct choice, based on the following factors:
1. Over the years, the City of Sonoma has consistently aided the Sonoma Community Center in its efforts to upgrade our historic building. Given the majority of Council’s new direction, we intend to focus on partnership opportunities that are better aligned with the Council’s new priorities, specifically one-time programs and building improvements such as the solar retrofit concept that was recently introduced to the City Council.
2. The Sonoma Community Center believes each of the four organizations in Tier 1 group (the SCC, the Boys and Girls Club, Vintage House, and the Sonoma Ecology Center) is crucial to deliver well-balanced services to the community. The process resulting from the Council’s funding decisions appeared to ask these groups to compete against each other in a potentially divisive manner, a direction contrary to the Center’s core value of collaborating with local non-profits.
3. A Council majority has indicated that the “Tier 1” funding program will likely end this year. The Center therefore needs to develop new funding strategies in response to this new direction. The sooner we accomplish this, the better.
This decision has no bearing on our commitment to provide high-quality community service programming, including the Fourth of July and the City party. As we stated at the Council meeting, we value our long-standing partnership with the City. But as Council priorities change, our partnership needs to change with them.
David Goodison, President, SCC Board of Directors
Jack Lundgren, First VP
Mike Donahue, Second VP
Bob Smith, Treasurer
Susan Goldstein, Secretary
Question for NASCAR
Editor: Regarding NASCAR: Is it just me or is anyone else inclined to think twice about forms of entertainment that require the burning of large amounts of fossil fuels?
Mike Acker
Sonoma
Enjoyed ‘Golden Rule’ editorial
Editor: I was delighted by the recent editorial on getting along with loving your neighbor. This is an ongoing opportunity/need. The weird truth is loving the “difficult” people creates happiness in us, and getting worked up about them creates unhappiness.
Also, regarding the story of the non-profits and the City’s limited pot of money, I can’t help juxtaposing that to the recent news of the Wine Auction harvesting $1.2 million dollars for local non-profits. On one hand, there seems to be a struggle for money, on the other, there seems quite an abundance. I’d love to see an article that deals with this duality, and how that works out in reality for the various non-profits.
Thanks for your good work.
Chris Elms
Sonoma
Thank you Sondra Bernstein!
Editor: On behalf of the Boys & Girls Club Valley of the Moon, we would like to thank Sondra Bernstein of the girl & the fig for the generous donation we received in response to their tenth anniversary celebration fundraiser.
What a creative and wonderful way to acknowledge the community in which this excellent restaurant thrives. We also extend our gratitude to everyone in Sonoma Valley who selected the Boys & Girls Club for their charity of choice so that a percentage of their meal total came to the Club.
The money will be used to sustain our quality after school academic and enrichment programs that serve 350 Sonoma Valley youthm daily. Thank you Sondra and thank you Sonoma Valley!
Katie Holden
Boys & Girls Club Valley of the Moon
Community feedback on website?
Editor:I read with interest Councilman Sebastiani’s intention to put before the council, the re-instatement of the crèche scene in front of City Hall. Of greater interest to me however was the information that his father had commissioned and paid for, a city- wide survey to find out what the citizens of Sonoma are thinking about this and other issues.
In this era of enhanced information exchange, where it seems that nearly everyone has a cell phone, voice mail, email and maybe even a website, it seems a pity that those who govern our city are not provided with an easy means to know the pulse of the public. Why would a private citizen have to create a survey to address this need?
Here’s an idea. Last February, Oakland City Councilwoman Pat Kernighan, wanted to check the feelings of her community on a development issue. She asked residents to go to a website called www.KitchenDemocracy.org and post their opinions. The idea was to give busy people (and aren’t we all?) a way for their voices to be heard, and a vehicle for them participate in the process without attending a city council meeting until midnight. This approach seemed to be productive. I think we all want a say in our city government, but up until now we haven’t had an expedient way to voice our feelings.
I’d like to ask our City Council to consider creating a website that would provide this feedback feature. Is there someone on the city staff who could do this? If not would it be possible to ask for help from some of the talented webmasters of Sonoma?
It would be so helpful, not only for the city council, but other city commissions to know, rather than to guess, how the people, (rather than the special interests, who are more often before them) feel about issues that affect our community. For example growth: development in the historic district and affordable housing. Connecting citizens and City Hall seems like a win, win situation. Can we give it a try?
Catherine Sullivan Sperring
Sonoma
Brown vs. Reagan?
Editor: Ronald Reagan said if you aren’t happy with a law, change it, don’t break it. Sonoma Councilman Ken Brown is busy trying to justify breaking the law by islanding illegal immigrants safely in Sonoma. Does he have the legal power to grant amnesty?
The liberal platform believes the end justifies the means, i.e., it doesn’t matter how you get there, so long as you get there. Conservatives believe that how you arrive at the end is a moral, ethical, and legal process that is just as important as the end.
Ken Brown is an elected official, and should characterize integrity by upholding the laws of our Land. He is entitled to his separate opinion, but that should never interfere with his duty to follow the law. Ken Brown should be working on changing the law if he is against it, not presenting himself as a leader that intends to break laws and lead others that same way.
His effort to persuade our soft side by saying “The City of Sonoma is interested in the grand American tradition of opening our doors to people who are poor, hungry, and escaping political and religious persecution,” forgets to add that the above came into America legally. My husband’s parents emigrated from Czechoslovakia through Ellis Island, then to Chicago, where they became successful, tax-paying, entrepreneurs. To complete their citizenship, they were required to learn English and study the history of our Constitution and Country. I know immigrants will come, but I believe they should only come legally. Regretfully, it is now politically correct to embrace illegal’s, even guiding them toward free benefits, and that legal citizens must eventually pay. Providing a “sanctuary” for illegal immigrants in Sonoma is acting as an accomplice to law-breaking behavior, and should be reprehensible to all law-abiding people.
Sherri Jilek
Glen Ellen
Vineyard supports Flowery School
Editor: Every year, there can be found those individuals and companies that go about the business of supporting, helping and educating the community in ways that deserve public acknowledgement. Such a company is Walsh Vineyard Management and co-partner Brian Shepard. Over the last 2+ years, this organization has supported the Flowery Community Garden with supplies, materials and labor in order for the garden not just to exist, but flourish.
When the old garden fence was damaged beyond repair due to vandalism last spring, this company stepped in and funded the entire project for a new fence. In addition, they paid for and built a new greenhouse to replace the old one with materials that will take us into the next decade. Every year, Brian oversees the regular upkeep of the garden with chips, new boards for plots and anything else that seems to be lacking.
The community cares for the garden over the summer so that it remains in the best of shape during the year for students to continue this valuable part of their science education. Brian is instrumental in making sure that whatever the garden needs, it has.
It is with heartfelt thanks that I take this opportunity to thank Brian and Walsh Vineyard Management for their past support and look forward to years of partnership in the future. The Flowery community extends its deepest appreciation to this wonderful local company.
Joyce Schipper
Principal
Flowery School
