The November 3 election is not just about Donald Trump. It is also the first election year for Sonoma’s new District Election system, in which – to begin with –only one district will be contested. Three candidates stepped forward and the Sonoma Valley Sun asked each to submit statements about their candidacies. Because of space limitations in the printed edition of the Sun, and in order to give each candidate as much space as they needed, the following statements do not appear in the October 22 print edition.
Julian Mackie
Let me start with a little background.
My story starts here. I grew up 20 minutes from where I live now, in a family where public service runs deep. Growing up, I went to public school, then Sonoma Academy for high school, and local government called to me early. During summers, when I wasn’t catering weddings for Park Avenue Catering, I worked for Congresswoman Lynn Woolsey, and later for Efren Carrillo, our county’s first Latino Supervisor.
Like a lot of us, life pulled me away. I mostly lived in San Francisco, where I spent time in consulting at Deloitte, then six years building education technology startups. I was fortunate to have interesting, successful roles, but I never shook the feeling that I was meant to come back and work on the issues facing my community.
Meeting my fiancée, Anna, who is here, sealed it. We originally connected over a shared love of Sonoma; her family has owned a home on Lovall Valley Road since 1994. Every trip back here together made the pull stronger, and eventually I enrolled in UC Berkeley’s Goldman School of Public Policy to get the tools I needed to do this work seriously. Through my research there, I was connected with Catalyst and the Sonoma Valley Collaborative, and earlier this year, I became the founding Executive Director of Sonoma Valley Commons, to focus on affordable housing right here in the Valley.
Anna and I were fortunate to purchase a home here in District 1, in a neighborhood we’ve loved for a long time. Our focus now is on investing in the community that has given us so much, with an eye toward the next several decades, not just the next few years.
So why am I running?
Sonoma is at a crossroads. We can be a place frozen in time, a town filled with second homes and fewer and fewer schools and local businesses, or we can be a living, breathing community that works for young families, working people, and those aging in place, while still being a world-class visitor destination. These challenges are significant, but together, I believe we can tackle them. To do so, we need to make sure everyone has a seat at the table, including the next generation.
We have a good city council, and I mean that. They work together well and they’re responsive to the community’s ideas. The next city council will include four incumbents: Sandra, Jack, John, and Ron, which means that District 1 is the only open race this cycle. That’s a real opportunity to bring new energy and new ideas into City Hall.
Here’s where I’d focus that energy:
First is housing. It’s getting harder every year for young families to return or to stay in Sonoma, and for those aging in place, there aren’t enough reliable, dependable options. So we need to proactively preserve the affordable housing we already have, and pursue smart, new housing opportunities, so working families, young people, and seniors can actually afford to stay. We can do that while protecting the small-town character that makes Sonoma, Sonoma.
Second is our local economy. Wine has always been our core industry, and it’s no secret that right now it’s hurting. If we’re going to withstand those changes, we need real employment options for the people who live here year-round, in tandem with opportunities to attract the visitors who historically have kept our tasting rooms full. It means bringing people together across agriculture, wellness, historical preservation, and the arts to grow and diversify what we offer: We need to refresh and expand our Economic Council, remove unnecessary barriers that add costs and delays to opening and maintaining a small business, and exploring public investments, such as a permanent outdoor performing arts space. Our people are our greatest asset and we need to invest in that.
Lastly, we need responsible, resilient government. Our city is facing a structural budget deficit, and we need to be prepared for a changing climate, wildfire risks, and state and federal funding cuts. I’ll bring my policy background to run a government that’s transparent about its numbers and ready for what’s coming, better streets and sidewalks, real climate resilience and safe evacuation planning, and disciplined fiscal stewardship, with balanced budgets and essential services that get delivered. I’ll also use my experience as a neighborhood association president to invest in our civic infrastructure: recruiting diverse candidates to our commissions, standing up neighborhood block captains here in District 1, and creating greater engagement in our priority-setting process.
Housing, the economy, and a strong, responsible government. Those are my priorities.
This race right here is Sonoma’s first-ever district election. That’s not a small thing. We’re lucky to have a voice here in District 1. Its an opportunity to not only invest in our neighborhood but also in the valley’s long-term future. I’m grateful for the opportunity to be a candidate, and I’d be honored to have your vote on November 3rd.
Peggy Hutton
I am a Japanese-American woman and have proudly called District 1 my Sonoma home for more than 35 years. During that time, I have raised my family, built lasting friendships, and become deeply invested in the well-being and future of our community. I know the valley the way only someone who has watched it change over a lifetime can.
Growing up playing team sports taught me the value of collaboration, respect, and working together to achieve common goals – qualities I believe are essential for effective public service.
I earned a business degree from Sonoma State University and owned and operated a small business in Sonoma for 25 years. My company specialized in energy sustainability through passive cooling and radiant heat reduction, giving me firsthand experience in responsible business management, problem-solving and environmentally conscious solutions.
As a longtime resident, business owner, and community member, I understand both the opportunities and challenges facing Sonoma. I am committed to listening to residents, making thoughtful and informed decisions, and working collaboratively to preserve Sonoma’s unique character while planning responsibly for its future.
My priorities include wildfire safety because Sonoma sits in a landscape that will keep facing wildfire. We cannot control the weather, but we can control how ready we are. I will make wildfire preparedness a standing city priority, funded and measured every year — not a headline we forget when the rains come.
I will take action on the city’s own evacuation study — hardening key routes, fixing the chokepoints it flagged, and running community drills so every household knows its zone before an emergency, not during one.
But safety is more than fire season. It is well-lit streets, fast emergency response, and a city that plans for earthquakes, floods and power shutoffs before they arrive. I will make sure Sonoma’s readiness matches the realities of living in the valley. I will push enrollment in SoCo Alerts and Nixle, promote tools like Watch Duty, and make sure warnings reach older residents and non-English speakers who are too often left out.
Another priority is preserving Sonoma’s beauty. I will work to protect the character, open space, and heritage that make Sonoma, Sonoma. I have watched over this valley for more than 40 years. The historic Plaza, the tree-lined streets, the vineyards and open hills are a trust we hold for the next generation. Growth and preservation are not enemies — with care, we get both.
I will put Main Street businesses and working families, front and center. As the founder of a local business, I know what it takes to make payroll, serve customers, and give back to the community. I will be a practical, pro-small-business voice who understands that a safe, well-run city is also good for jobs. That means cutting red tape, speeding up permitting, and giving the shops, makers and restaurants of District 1 a city hall that works with them, not against them.
Another priority will be responsible, transparent budgeting. I will work to spend public dollars carefully and openly, so residents can see that safety and services are funded the right way. In owning a business, I had to be resourceful to develop sales. My prior investigative and business experience has helped me collaborate well with others and analyze issues for the best outcome for all. I’ve also developed ideas for very-low and low income housing in Sonoma, which would not affect the surrounding neighborhoods or ecosystem.
It would be an honor to serve the residents of District 1 on the Sonoma City Council.
Michael Menefee
Having moved to Sonoma Valley in 1972, I spent my late teens here, graduating from Sonoma Valley High School in 1974. Over the next year I worked in Sonoma’s Plaza as a Plaza Aide, and joined State Parks Explorer Post 220.
In 1975–76, I served as a California Action Volunteer, working as the Sonoma Police Department’s Youth Diversion Officer, under Chief of Police Bill Rettle.
My time as an Explorer led to a decade as a State Parks maintenance worker – from the redwoods in Big Basin to the historic State Capitol in Benicia, then back home at Sonoma State Historic Park, Jack London, Sugarloaf, Annadel and the Petaluma Adobe. At Sonoma State Historic Park, I replanted the El Camino Real bell in its current position at Mission San Francisco Solano in 1984, and in 1985–86 I built the replacement ox cart and the new redwood and “wrought iron” dormitorio fence at the Sonoma Barracks.
I started as a Sonoma Volunteer Fireman in 1976, under Fire Chief Al Mazza, and spent most of my working life in the fire service, often serving more than one department at a time: fourteen years as a Sonoma Career Firefighter, thirteen years as a Volunteer Firefighter with Schell-Vista, and eight years as a Part-time Firefighter in Glen Ellen. Among the significant fires I worked in Sonoma Valley was the Mission Hardware fire of 1990. I finished my career with twelve years as a Firefighter/Paramedic with the San Francisco Fire Department.
Outside work, I’m a lifetime member of the Sonoma Volunteer Firefighters Association. I chaired two sanctioned Firemen’s Musters in Sonoma, in 1985 and 1988, and helped with the Association’s presentation of Sonoma’s renowned Fourth of July Parade in 2017, 2018 and 2019. I’ve also coached Little League baseball and youth soccer, and been active with the Sonoma League for Historic Preservation, the Sonoma State Historic Park Association, and the Sonoma Valley Historical Society. Music has been part of my life too: I’ve played with the Sonoma Hometown Band since 1974, and played trumpet with two Santa Rosa–based groups, the J.H. 40’s Swing Band and the Moonlighters Swing Band, in the 1980s and 1990s. These days you might also find me on the Valley of the Moon Pétanque Club’s courts in Depot Park.
My two oldest children, now 40 and 35, are grandchildren of the late Don and Kay Bettencourt; Don retired as a Lieutenant from the Sonoma Police Department.
My partner, Erin McTaggart, and I are raising our 15-year-old son here. Through Erin, a descendant of Samuele and Elvira (Eraldi) Sebastiani, he’s a sixth-generation Sonoman.
My priorities as a City Council member are: Respopnbsible growth; Accountable fiscal activity; Valuable Community Participation; Rational Auto/Cycle/ Pedestrian Transit Coexistence.
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