Supervisor Susan Gorin has announced the retirement of First District Planning Commissioner Dick Fogg, as well as his replacement with Sonoma Ecology Center’s Caitlin Cornwall.
Fogg steps down from the post after 17 years.
In 2002, Fogg was appointed by First District Supervisor Michael Cale. He was subsequently reconfirmed by former Supervisor Valerie Brown and then Gorin.
“Dick has been vital in moving the First District and Sonoma Valley in the right direction over the years,” said Gorin. “His commitment to the community and his institutional knowledge will be sorely missed.”
His sage advice, Gorin said, “helped me to understand the critical interplay of the general plan, history of the development of Sonoma Valley and emerging issues.”
Fogg served on the first Sonoma Valley Citizens Advisory Commission as a Commissioner, starting in 1997. From 2001 to 2009 he served as Co-Chair of the Sonoma County General Plan 2020 Citizen’s Advisory Committee. In 2002, Cale appointed him to the Planning post.
“Through Dick’s leadership and work ethic he became an invaluable asset to giving the Valley a stronger voice in local land use decisions,” said former Cale, the former supervisor. “His years of service are a tribute to his strong character and a valuable asset in protecting the vision we all embraced in protecting Sonoma County land use policies.”
Though Fogg will be sorely missed, Gorin said, “replacing him with Caitlin Cornwall is the only solace I have in accepting his retirement. She is superbly qualified to serve on the Planning Commission.”
Cornwall is a biologist who leads planning and partnerships, and advises on technical projects, at Sonoma Ecology Center, where she has worked for 21 years. She is the project director for Sustainable Sonoma, a cross-sector coalition addressing ongoing challenges to Sonoma Valley’s people, economy, and environment, such as housing affordability.
A Sonoma County native, she is the lead author of the Biodiversity Action Plan for Sonoma County, Sonoma County Regional Climate Protection Agency’s climate vulnerability assessment, and the Climate Resilience Roadmap for Sonoma County. Her areas of expertise are land use ecology, watershed health indicators, communicating with nontechnical audiences, and building diverse, successful partnerships. She has degrees in biology and botany, and lives in Sonoma.
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