Candidates for supervisor grilled

On Wednesday night, at the District One supervisor’s debate hosted by the Sonoma Valley Sun, four candidates faced questioners and each other. Answering a series of prepared questions and questions from the audience, each had a chance to present their qualifications, accomplishments, concerns and solutions, and why they want to run for office.
For Larry Weisner, it’s that after a long professional life in the field of accounting, he feels he has expertise to share, and in these days where predictions of climate change are coming true, “we can look at those predictions and plan ahead.” He mentioned problem areas such as roads, transportation, health care, “you name it, we have them all.” One change he would make is that he would, if elected, make the office more accessible to people, so they didn’t have to drive to Santa Rosa.
Will Pier stressed his environmental expertise and said, “Working with the Ecology Center with habitat restoration, I have gotten to know people involved in the environmental and social issues. I’ve gotten a sense of the ‘pulse of the people,’” he said, “and people want to see change–here in the North Bay.”
David Reber, who identified himself by saying, “I am of this place,” said, “You have only one issue, and that’s leadership.” He was born in the Sonoma Valley Hospital, and has grandparents buried in the Sonoma graveyard. He proposes he would provide better leadership than the incumbent. “You must ask yourself if the district is in better shape today than five years ago,” he said, and talked emphatically about rising crime and the need for more police.
Incumbent Valerie Brown spoke of the progress in the Redevelopment Advisory Council. “In six short years, we changed the agenda for the Springs. We are going to see changes!” She spoke of the hard times and the efforts the council has been making to keep programs going. Regarding police, she said, “You solve the problem by working within the community. You talk about it. You enlist the schools, the non-profits, the faith-based organizations. It’s not just putting more police on the streets.” She acknowledged that, “We are doing all the right things, but it still is not enough.”
The election is June 3, with absentee ballots to be mailed May 5. A majority of votes is required, not a mere plurality, and a run-off between the top two candidates will, if needed, be part of the November presidential election.