City council honors Robert Behrens

Last night, Sonoma Mayor Joanne Sanders honored landscape architect Robert Behrens, whose Veterans Cemetery will be a place of peace for generations to come, for his dedication over the years to the natural beauty of Sonoma. This was the Sonoma City Council’s first meeting in its sleek new chambers.
Leaving the dais, Sanders came to the back of the room and stood before Behrens, who is ill, and now wheel-chair bound, and read a simple but emotional proclamation praising his contribution and thanking him on behalf of the city for all he has done to create beauty. When she finished reading, there were tears and a standing ovation.
“I’m overwhelmed,” Behrens said, “I want to thank the Mayor and the current city council. It’s a very deep honor, which my family and I will treasure. I hope people for generations will come to the memorial for quiet reflection and comfort. I want to thank you for long periods of support, overcoming conflict, and I just want to say I love each one in this room.” He presented the mayor with a framed photograph of the memorial, and received another round of applause.
After Behrens left the room, council member Ken Brown said, “If people enjoy the way our town looks, our green methods, that’s thanks to Mr. Behrens. He was a voice, he was persistent, and he turned out to be right.” Sanders added, “He designed the Veterans Cemetery as a place that wouldn’t be spooky, but as a place that would be like an outdoor living room.” Council member Stanley Cohen recalled, “The first city council I ever came to, Behrens stood up and said, ‘Your challenge is to look forward.’”
The award set the tone for an agenda packed with decisions from real estate to development limits to water and landscaping, all of fulfilling Behrens’ challenge, “to look forward,” an appropriate theme for the night.
But before they got down to business, the council also recognized the high school basketball team for its heroism in saving the life of Sonoma resident Tom Mix by pulling him from a storm-swollen stream two weeks ago. The mayor praised the team and Mix thanked each one, saying, “Tonight, I want to offer to each and every one of you my heartfelt thanks. I will never forget this, nor will my family. Nor will my dogs.”