‘Banco’ signs off
While the name of the bank branch has officially changed, a grassroots effort to keep Westamerica’s Fiesta Plaza location open continues.
The Banco de Sonoma sign was replaced Monday.
Westamerica has promised to keep the location, given its Spanish nickname by former owner Sonoma Valley Bank, open only through February.
A group fighting to keep the branch open beyond that has postponed a Jan. 8 meeting but is actively seeking volunteers to join the effort.
“The grassroots effort to save the Banco de Sonoma and Glen Ellen branches is a group of concerned citizens, political officials, land owners, business owners, and professionals that are trying to raise awareness of the importance of a bank and vital products and services,” said organizer Ralph Hutchinson.
Contact [email protected] for more information.
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RETRACTION: Townhall Meeting Canceled
I would rewrite the article like this:
While the name of the bank branch has officially changed, a grassroots effort to keep Westamerica’s Fiesta Plaza location open continues.
The Banco de Sonoma sign was replaced Monday.
Westamerica has promised to keep the location, given its Spanish “dba” name by former owner Sonoma Valley Bank, open only through February.
A group fighting to keep the branch open beyond that will continue their appeals up at least until the decision point expected in February 2011 when Westamerica Officials indicated they would decide what to do with both the Banco de Sonoma branch and the Glen Ellen branches.
The Grassroots effort will, according to a group spokesperson Ralph Hutchinson, “continue to assess the needs of constituents and prepare for a formal appeal of regulators.” “We will continue to work raising awareness of lending, services and investment needs in the Springs,” he said, “and work to partner city, county, and federal governments with residents, developers, investors and banks to finance meaningful projects to revitalize our Valley.” They intend to continue to communicate their concerns and create awareness of the importance of maintaining a branch in The Springs and the bank’s compliance with The Community Reinvestment Act.
Another formal complaint was filed Wednesday with the FDIC for violations of the Community Reinvestment Act dealing with failure to provide copies of the Public Comments and the corresponding Management Responses to all the complaints generated in the past 90 days, some of which were published here in The Sun in Letters to the Editor. Westamerica has also denied the Grassroots complete loan performance data (CRA and Home Mortgage Disclosure Act Public Statements) for the assessment area census tracts surrounding the Springs and Glen Ellen area, in a timely manner.
Contact [email protected] for more information on how you can get involved.
I wouldn’t call myself “Organizer” either…I am just one of many voices speaking in unison with conviction.